History of Baltimore, Maryland, from its founding as a town to the current year, 1729-1898, including its early settlement and development; a description of its historic and interesting localities; political, military, civil, and religious statistcs; biographies of representative citizens, etc., etc, Part 108

Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1344

USA > Maryland > Baltimore County > Baltimore City > History of Baltimore, Maryland, from its founding as a town to the current year, 1729-1898, including its early settlement and development; a description of its historic and interesting localities; political, military, civil, and religious statistcs; biographies of representative citizens, etc., etc > Part 108

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Mr. Wm. T. Malster, then, is the subject of this brief article. He is in the full vigor of matured manhood, having first seen the light in Cecil county, Md., in '43. In the search for a life employment, suited to his tastes and attainments, Mr. Malster's ca- reer marks the gradations attendant upon

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successful self-made men of our country. Successive advancements, never retrograd- ing, are the mile posts along his route. The culmination (not to summarize each step) was, and is engineering, which, in theory and practice, he long since mastered. This affirmation is emphasized to a demonstra- tion by the fruitage born of his skill. Com- mercial men and corporations alike have the products of the man's achievements in the many ice boats, merchant ships, transports, etc., over all the seas. The capstone, how- ever, is the output of Mr. Malster's estab- lishment-The Columbian Iron Works and Dry Dock Company. The battleships, cruisers, torpedo boats, etc., turned over, complete, to the United States Government from that institution, are matters of national , and international knowledge. Such an in- stitution as these works is valuable to Balti- more, not only as a matter of reputation and civic pride, but as a valuable movement and factor in the development in the city's population, her trade, and her business.

Mr. Malster is recognizedin other spheres than the one above mentioned, however. His resourcefulness, state-craft and envia- ble status with his fellow-citizens, is accen- tuated by his culminated career, or present laurels, in the fields other than merely in- dustrial and commercial. By a most flat- tering vote against "machine" politicians he was elected in '97 to the mayoralty of Bal- timore, a trust at once commanding and im- pressive. Fortunate may be called the mu- nicipality that has such a leader and execu- tive; but more fortunate still the acquies- cence and service of the "right man in the right place," as is seen in this instance. Mere fulsome, effusive tribute is ever gross and regarded with just suspicion wherever

found. In these columns, as will be noted, the "selections" accorded mention have been those materially identified with the city's growth and development. Any seem- ing exception to this rule must be seen to be in striking contrast to the whole. As has been said, this is an historical, not biograph- ical work. Histories of men or corporations have been gathered in the space at com- mand from among those deserving perpetu- ation. The article here given, therefore, will be seen to merit the notice devoted to it.

DR. FERDINAND J. S. GORGAS, 845 N. Eutaw street .- Of the oldest continuous dental professors in the United States, if not in the world, Dr. F. J. S. Gorgas is second. There are one or two other living professors who may have begun teaching earlier, but no others have been continuously in the pro- fessor's chair as have Dr. Jonathan Taft, of the University of Michigan, and the subject of this brief review.

A native of Winchester, in the famous Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Doctor Gor- gas' birth occurred July 27, 1839. As a boy at school he was precocious and early out- stripped others of his age. After attending private and a few public schools of his na- tive city, Doctor Gorgas matriculated in Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., from which he was graduated at the age of seventeen. Having studied dentistry under practi- tioners, he was prepared to enter the Bal- timore College of Dental Surgery in ad- vanced classes, and graduated from that in- stitution in one year, in the spring of 1857. His proficiency being recognized by the Faculty, he was forthwith offered a position as teacher in the institution, beginning his duties the following autumn, and has since

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occupied continuously a professor's chair, a period of forty-one years. Recognizing early the necessity of a wider range of knowledge to elevate the profession of den- tistry above the plane of a trade, as it was at first considered, Doctor Gorgas entered upon a course of medicine and surgery as well, and graduated with the title of M. D. from the Medical School of the University of Maryland. It is this love for a broader plane of knowledge that has elevated Doctor Gor- gas to the high position he now holds in the profession in America.

The Doctor is an author of recognized ability by his professional colleagues. His "Medical and Dental Dictionary" has passed through the sixth edition, as has his work "The Dental Medicine." He has eleven times revised and brought down to date "Harris's Principles and Practice of Den- tistry" and the "Questions and Answers for Medical and Dental Students" has had a wide circulation amongst practitioners, as well as among those for whom it was es- pecially written. The Doctor is the editor- in-chief of The American Journal of Dental Science, the oldest dental journal in the world, founded by Dr. Chapin A. Harris, the founder of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery as well.

Doctor Gorgas is prominent in Masonic circles. He is thrice Past Master of Oriental Lodge, No. 158, and Past Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Maryland. He has also been High Priest of Jerusalem Chapter, No. 9, Royal Arch Masons, and Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of the State; in Jerusalem Council of Royal and Select Masters, and three times served the order as Illustrious Grand Master of the State. In Knight Templarism he has

served as Eminent Commander of two com- manderies, Maryland Commandery, No. 1, and Beauseant Commandery, No. 8; for twenty-one years has been chairman of the Corresponding Committee of the Grand Commandery of Maryland and was for seven years chairman of the Committee of Correspondence of the Grand Lodge of Maryland.

Doctor Gorgas is one of the few who has attained the highest degree in Masonry, the 33rd of the Scottish Rite. That high honor was conferred upon him by those eminent members of the Order, Albert Pike and Judge Josiah Drummond, of Portland, Me.

The Doctor also holds membership in the Knights of Honor, the Improved Order of Heptasophs, and the United Order of American Mechanics, for all of which he has the highest regard. Of the profes- sional societies he holds membership in many; the principal ones being the Ameri- can Medical Association, the American Dental Association, the Southern Dental Association and the National Association of Dental Faculties; and is one of the com- mittee of three known as the ad interim committee, in whose hands is placed the en- tire management of affairs between sittings of the Association, and many are the dis- putes arising between the different dental colleges of the country that require tact and judgment of a high order to settle them to the satisfaction of all concerned.

The ancestry of Doctor Gorgas dates far back into the early colonial period of the continent, the immigrant ancestor, Samuel Gorgas, coming from England at a remote date unknown. The great-grandfather, Samuel Gorgas, was a soldier of the Revo- lution. He marred a Miss De Lancey, of

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the old New York family of that name. His son, Samuel De Lancey Gorgas fought in the War of 1812 and attained a ripe old age.

The father of our subject, John De Lan- cey Gorgas, was for many years a success- ful merchant of Winchester and Martins- burg, Va .; he died in 1841 at the age of sev- enty-seven. His wife, Mary A., was a daughter of Mr. James R. Smith, a planter of the Old Dominion and of one of the old families of the State.

Doctor Gorgas was married to Miss Anna, daughter of Mr. Leroy Swormstead, of Madison, Ind., whose brother, Rev. Swormstead, was for many years editor of the Western Christian Advocate, published at Cincinnati.

Of the four children, three sons and a daughter, born to the Doctor and his wife, two survive: Lawrence De Lancey Gorgas, a leading physician, of Chicago, and Her- bert Ferdinand Gorgas, who practices den- tistry with his father.

The Doctor and his family attend Mt. Vernon Methodist Church.

HOSEA WOODMAN KAPP, Superintendent of the Baltimore Division of the Northern Central Railway, which is composed of that part of the Northern Central Railway from Baltimore to Marysville, the Green Spring Branch from Hollins to Green Spring Junc- tion, the Canton Branch sidings in Balti- more, and the Union Railroad from the cen- ter of North street, Baltimore, to Bayview Junction and Canton and Colgate Creek, Md., was born at Marietta, Pa., on the 23rd day of July, 1844. He attended school un- til sixteen years of age at Northumberland, Pa., to which place his parents had removed. He entered the army as musician in the

Fifth Pennsylvania Reserves, in the fall of 1861, and served eleven months, in the Army of the Potomac, Peninsula campaign. In the fall of 1862 he entered the service of the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad as laborer on construction work, and later served as laborer on work train. He con- tinued with that road as a laborer and brake- man until the spring of 1863, when he en- tered the service of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad as brakeman. He continued in the service of the latter company through the various positions of brakeman, flagman, freight conductor, yard master, passenger conductor and train master until the sum- mer of 1866, when he was promoted to be train master of the Middle Division of that road, with headquarters at Renovo, Pa. In the spring of 1870 he was transferred to the Pennsylvania Railroad, and made assistant train master of the Pittsburg Division, with headquarters at Pittsburgh, in which posi- tion he served until the spring of 1874, when he was promoted to be train master at Bal- timore of the Baltimore Division of the Northern Central Railway. On January 15, 1875, he received the additional appoint- ment of train master of the Baltimore and Potomac and Alexandria and Fredericks- burg Railroads. On January 1, 1883, when the Baltimore Division of the Northern Cen- tral Railway was placed under the general superintendent of the other divisions of that road whose headquarters were at Williams- port, Pa., and the Baltimore and Potomac and Alexandria and Fredericksburg Rail- roads were placed under the general super- intendent of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, whose headquar- ters were in Philadelphia, Mr. Kapp was promoted to his present position, the super-

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intendency of the Baltimore Division, with headquarters at Baltimore. Mr. Kapp was married December 8, 1868, to Ceecie C., daughter of the late Mrs. Mary Homer, of Jersey Shore, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Kapp have eight children: William P., assistant round house foreman, Pennsylvania Railroad, at Altoona; Stacy W., assistant supervisor, P. W. & B., at Baltimore; Percy C., with Penn- sylvania Railroad, at West Philadelphia shops; J. Bailey, Co. A, Fifth Maryland; Edward R., student, Baltimore City Col- lege; Miss May Rosabelle, and Martha C., and Edith A., students at Woman's Col- lege, Baltimore. The family reside at Pax- ton, and attend St. John's P. E. Church. Mr. Kapp is a member of Maryland Com- mandery, Knights Templar.

WILLIAM HENRY MATTHAI, of the firm of Matthai, Ingram & Co., was born in Bal- timore July 26, 1856. He is a son of Mr. John Christopher Matthai, whose personal history is contained in this volume. Wil- liam H. Matthai received his early train- ing in the public schools of Baltimore, with a supplementary academic course at New- ton Academy. At the age of sixteen he en- tered the employ in office service of Matthai & Ingram, in which he was successively promoted until his accession, in 1880, to the firm, then known as Matthai, Ingram & Co. Mr. Matthai is one of the board of directors of the United States Fidelity and Trust Company, of Baltimore. He was married November 15, 1882, to Alice Bancroft, sec- ond daughter of William H. Jones, of the mercantile house of Clark & Jones, Balti- more. Mr. and Mrs. Matthai have six chil- dren: William Howard, John Clark, Al-

bert Dilwarth, Joseph Fleming, Alice Ban- croft and Margaret Matthai.

The family reside in the historic home- stead, Lexington, on the Reisterstown road near Pikesville, purchased by Mr. Matthai from the Hamilton Caughey estate. This mansion was built in 1775 and received its name from the then recently fought battle of Lexington. For some years immediately following the Revolutionary War this fine old mansion was a favorite rendezvous for officers of the patriot army. Mr. Matthai is a member and one of the trustees of Arling- ton M. E. Church (South), and Mrs. Mat- thai is a member of the First English Luth- eran Church.

ISAAC HOLMES SHIRK was born in Balti- more, February 21, 1858. He is a son of Henry and Catharine I. (Orrick) Shirk, na- tives of Maryland, the former of German, the latter of English descent. The first comer to America of the Shirk (then Scherch) family emigrated from Germany about 1700, locating in Lancaster county, Pa. The grandfather of the immediate sub- ject of this sketch removed in 1847 from Hagerstown to Baltimore, Md., where he purchased twenty-five (25) acres of ground in the northern section of the city, and was for years an active agent in the improve- ment and development of that part of Balti- more. He gave a parcel of ground 255 by 184 feet on the west side of St. Paul street, between Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth streets, and other bequests aggregating a value approximately of $200,000, to the Woman's College, of Baltimore. Isaac Shirk was educated in the public schools and City College of Baltimore, spent the following fifteen years in mercantile pur-

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suits, and has since 1887 been engaged in real estate and financial brokerage business with present offices in the Latrobe Build- ing. He is a member of the National Real Estate Association which he represented in World's Congress Auxiliary at the World's Fair, Chicago. He resides at 2133 Mary- land avenue.

CHARLES E. FORD, Owner and Manager of Ford's Grand Opera Houses, Baltimore and Washington, was born in Baltimore in 1856, and is a son of the late John T. Ford, who was not only closely identified with the history of the theater in the United States, but was also one of Baltimore's most prom- inent citizens, interested in the principal public improvements of that city. His life was almost a history of the local stage, for though not himself old in years at the time of his demise, he was in point of service the senior theatrical manager in the United States, and personally knew the majority of the dramatic, literary and political celebri- ties of his day. His wide knowledge of the drama, his practical experience and theatri- cal management and his intellectual tastes made him a target for all collectors of rem- iniscences of the State, and he was always called upon by every contemporary writer of dramatic history as a private source of information. He was identified with one of the most tragic events in this nation's his- tory, for it was in his theater at Washington, D. C., that President Lincoln was assassin- ated by John Wilkes Booth, that actor hav- ing been employed in Mr. Ford's Stock Company. At one time and another Mr. Ford had under his management all the prominent stars of the day, and it was through his efforts that the first successes

of Edwin Booth and Mary Anderson were made. He also introduced Gilbert and Sullivan to the American public. His gen- erosity was as marked a characteristic of his nature as was his energy. Through agen- cies of the theater which he managed, he contributed fully $100,000 to various chari- ties. His famous grand opera house in Bal- timore was erected in 1872, at a cost of $175,000, including the lot on which it was built. The architect was James T. Gifford. In it, during the year it was opened to the public, Horace Greeley was nominated for the Presidency by the Democratic National Convention, and in 1876, Dom Pedro, Em- peror of Brazil, and the Empress were en- tertained during their tour of the United States, on which occasion Mary Anderson was the star. In 1886 a benefit was held for the sufferers by the Charleston earthquake, and the sum of $5,000 was realized. In 1889 a reception was given there to Captain Mur- rell and officers of the steamship "Mis- souri," in recognition of their gallantry in the famous rescue of the Danish vessel "Denmark" in mid ocean. The house was remodeled in 1893, and now ranks as one of the finest opera houses in the United States. Politically Mr. Ford was a prominent and life-long Democrat. He served several terms in the State Legislature and was City Commissioner and Acting Mayor of Balti- more. He was a director of the B. & O. and Western Maryland Railroads. During the latter part of his life he was assisted in management by his son, Charles E. Ford. Mr. Ford, Sr., married Miss Edith B. An- drews, of Hanover county, Va. Ten children were born of this union, of whom Charles E. Ford is the eldest. The early education of the latter was acquired under the tuition of

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Rev. John H. Dashiell, one of the most noted scholars of his day. He completed his studies in the University of Virginia. From 1872 until his father's death he as- sisted in the management of the opera houses, and then assumed full control, and is now the owner of both houses. In 1876 he married Annie, daughter of Addison Hardcastle, of the Eastern Shore. They have three children: Mabel, wife of P. P. Dunan, of Baltimore; Charles E., Jr., now in the Johns Hopkins University, and Edith Octavia Ford. Although not politically in- clined, Mr. Ford takes a deep interest in the welfare of his city and county, being strong- ly allied to the Democratic party and its principles. He has refused all overtures for office, being content with the busy life ne- cessitated by his theatrical ventures. He has a beautiful home near Pikesville, which he purchased nine years ago, and his spa- cious greenhouses are a source of much pleasure to him. He is noted for hospitality and generosity; agreeable and courteous in his manners, few men are more highly re- spected in the city of his birth. Fraternally he is a member of the Order of Elks.

DR. CHARLES RAYMOND SHOEMAKER was born in Shenandoah in 1870. He is the son of Martin and Margaret (Titman) Shoe- maker, natives of Pennsylvania, and resi- dents of Shenandoah where Mr. Shoemaker is engaged in business as a coal merchant. Charles R. Shoemaker received his general education in the public schools of his native county, and came to Baltimore to enter the College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which institution he was graduated with the class of '91. Following his graduation he was for one year assistant resident physician

at Bay View Asylum, since which time he has been engaged in general practice, with present office and residence at 1735 Ais- quith street. He has been on the staff of the Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Hos- pital since 1894, is a member of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, and is examining physician for the Home Friendly Society.

He was married June 14, 1892, to Miss Hallie, daughter of the late Henry and Mary (Phillips) Stevenson, of Baltimore.

Dr. and Mrs. Shoemaker have one child, Martin.

Doctor Shoemaker is a Methodist, and Mrs. Shoemaker a communicant of the P. E. Church of the Messiah.

REV. ALPHONSE MAGNIEN, President of St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, was born in Lozere, France, June, 1837. He took his classical course in the diocese of Mende, France, and completed his ecclesiastical education at Orleans, France, where he was ordained for the priesthood. He was a teacher for several years at La Chapelle, diocese of Orleans, a preparatory seminary made famous by Bishop Dupanloup. He then entered the Society of Saint Sulpice, and occupied the chair of philosophy at Nantes and Rodez successively, one year at the former and two at the latter place. In 1869 he came to America to become one of the faculty of St. Mary's Seminary, Balti- more, with which institution he has ever since been connected, teaching at different periods philosophy, scripture, church his- tory and theology, and has been the presi- dent since 1878.

Under his superiorship there was so great an influx of candidates that a separate de-

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partment of philosophy under a special su- perior and later on a double course of divin- ity were added. The building was materi- ally increased by the addition of a large wing. Three hundred pupils has been the average attendance during the past several sessions.

JAMES EDMONDSON INGRAM, second member of the firm of Matthai, Ingram & Co., was born in Baltimore, April 22, 1847. He is a son of the late Charles and Eliza (Edmondson) Ingram, natives of Maryland, and descendants of early English settlers of the colony. The ancestry of the Ingrams is traceable to Timothy and Sarah (Cowell) Ingram, who owned in the sixteenth cen- tury a large portion of the present site of Leeds, England. Joshua Edmondson, ma- ternal great-grandfather of the immediate subject of this sketch, was one of two bro- thers who located in Cecil county, Md., prior to the Revolutionary War. His son, James Edmondson, was one of the Old De- fenders. Charles Ingram, Mr. James E. In- gram's paternal grandfather, settled in Dor- chester county, where he was an agricultur- alist, and whence his son Charles came to Baltimore about 1817, and was a manufac- turer of cigars and tobacco up to within a few years of his decease (1848). He was for many years a member and official of the Caroline Street M. E. Church, and was the founder of what is now known as Jefferson M. E. Church. He was a generous sup- porter of Methodism generally, and the congregations above named particularly.

James E. Ingram attended the public schools including the City College, of Balti- more. At the age of thirteen he entered the employ of Thomas Austin, provision dealer.

After brief periods of other employment he was apprenticed January 4, 1865, to John Evans, manufacturer of tinware. After learning his trade he continued for some time in the employ of Mr. Evans, and later with the firm of Conklin & Willis. On February 1, 1870, he formed a partnership association with John Christopher Matthai, under the firm name of Matthai & Ingram, dealers in and manufacturers of tin ware and house furnishings. (For subsequent history of firm see sketch of John Christopher Mat- thai, this volume.) Mr. Ingram has been since early manhood a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and has occupied all of the official positions, honors and trusts in connection therewith that fall to the lot of the layman. He has been trustee, stew- ard, local preacher, class leader, Sunday- school superintendent, was president for several years of the Local Preachers' Asso- ciation of Baltimore, and is now president of the City Missionary and Church Exten- sion Society, and superintendent of the Sun- day-school at Arlington. He was delegate to the General Conference at Omaha in 1892, and was largely instrumental in the building of the Arlington M. E. Church. He has been a liberal contributor to educa- tional and other benevolent church institu- tions and originated and was president of the board of the Methodist Bazar of 1897, which in ten days raised $8,000 for the City Missionary and Church Extension Fund. He is a director of the Citizens' National and Hopkins Place Savings Banks, and vice-president of Baltimore Methodist Pub- lishing Company.

He was married January 26, 1871, to Mary A., eldest daughter of John Christo- pher Matthai. Mr. and Mrs. Ingram have

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five children, viz: John M. Ingram, Balti- more representative of Falcon Tin Plate Company and Hyde Park Steel Sheet Com- pany; James E. Ingram, Jr., of the firm of Gould, Ingram & Hubner, attorneys of Baltimore; Charles Ingram, with the firm of Matthai, Ingram & Co., and the Misses Florence T. and May D. Ingram, pupils at Womans' College of Baltimore. The family residence is on Park Heights avenue, near Pikesville.

ROBERT CRAIN, Attorney, Baltimore, Md. This gentleman is a member of the firm of Crain & Hershey, well known cor- poration lawyers of Baltimore, rooms 606- 7-8 Fidelity Building. Mr. Crain was born in Charles county, Md., November 12, 1866. His father was Dr. Robert Crain. His moth- er's maiden name was Nellie Morgan, daughter of James Henry Morgan, an ex- tensive planter in southern Maryland. Doc- tor Crain was a prominent physician and enjoyed an extensive practice in southern Maryland. Mr. Crain's great-grandfather was Dr. Gerald Wood, who was surgeon to Gen. George Washington during the Revo- lutionary War.

Peter Wood Crain, great-uncle of Robert Crain, was an attorney and judge, and served twenty-seven years as judge of the seventh judicial circuit of Maryland. It may be seen that Mr. Crain's ancestors took a prominent part in the affairs of the coun- try.

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Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1344

Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1344