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 120
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131
tially abandoned it to continue with his brother, Edward E., in his father's busi- ness. He and his brothers, Adolphus H. and Edward E., are members of Christ Lutheran Church. William C. is a member of St. Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Weaver, wife of William H., resides at their country seat on the Harford Road. She is a native of Germany, and was Miss Sophia P. Brown before marriage.
HENRY WILLIAMS was born in Calvert county, Md., on the 9th of October, 1840. His father was Rev. Henry Williams, a Protestant Episcopal minister, whose an- cestors were of English and German de- scent, and came to this country in the early days of its settlement and located in South Carolina, his grandfather coming from that State and settling in Washington county, Md., where Mr. Williams' grand- father and father were born. His father was born January 20, 1810.
Mr. Williams' mother was Priscilla Eliza- beth Chew, of English descent, born in Maryland July 25, 1809, her ancestors be- ing among the earliest settlers of Maryland, and later distinguished in the revolutionary period. She was a granddaughter of Samuel Chew, whose name appears in colonial history as a member of the Federa- tion of Freemen, and was one of the mem- bers of the Maryland House of Delegates who in 1780 made a personal subscription to aid the country in its hour of distress, Samuel Chew giving ten hogsheads of to- bacco.
Mr. Williams' father died April 8, 1852; his mother July 6, 1881. There were five children: John Hamilton Chew, in the ser-
969
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
vice of the Weems Steamboat Company at their office in this city; Ferdinand, a promi- nent member of the bar at Cumberland, Md .; Samuel Chew, in the service of the Consolidated Gas Company, of this city; Thomas William Chew, connected with the editorial department of the Baltimore Sun, and Mr. Williams, the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Williams attended a private school in Calvert county, and finished his educa- tion at the school of Mr. Topping, of this city, a noted private school of that day. Afterwards he read law in the office of Charles J. M. Gwinn, one of the most prominent lawyers of the Baltimore bar, and on being admitted to practice com- menced at Prince Fredericktown, Calvert county, where as a young man he was quite successful in building up a lucrative prac- tice. Seeking a wider field for the practice of his profession, he opened an office in this city in 1873. In conjunction with his practice in Calvert county he practiced in the Courts of this city until 1875, when he gave up his former practice and with his family took up his residence in this city. While living in Calvert county he was elect- ed twice as a delegate to the State Legisla- ture of Maryland without opposition, hav- ing the distinguished honor of receiving every vote cast in the county for this posi- tion. After serving these two terms he was elected in 1871 to the Maryland Senate, where he served his full term of four years.
Mr. Williams was married in Baltimore June II, 1868, to Miss Georgiana Weems, daughter of Capt. Mason Lock Weems and Matilda (Sparrow) Weems. Mrs. Williams' father was of Scotch descent, and belonged to an old Maryland family. Her mother's family were of Anne Arundel county, Md.
Her father, Captain Weems, was the son of Capt. George Weems, who established about 1825 what was known as the "Weems' Line" of steamboats, now known as the "Weems' Steamboat Company." These boats run out of Baltimore down the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent, Poto- mac and Rappahannock rivers into all its tributary rivers, with their dock at No. 289 Light street, where cargoes are loaded and unloaded in the very center of the ship- ping district. This line is one of the largest and most successful transportation lines on the Chesapeake, being a very impor- tant factor in the commercial progress of the city. It has always been one of the most popular lines on the Chesapeake for passenger traffic as well as freight, its boats being elegantly fitted up, and its accommo- dations for passengers being of the most modern and comfortable kind. All its officers, too, are noted for their obliging and courteous treatment of the passengers who travel on their boats, and, without prejudice, it can be said that the Weems Steamboat Company line is one of the most reliable and popular running boats out of this port.
On the death, in 1872, of Mrs. Williams' father, Mason L. Weems, who was the first manager of the company, Mr. Williams re- tired from the practice of law, became presi- dent and manager of the company, and man- ages its business now. Under Mr. Wil- liams' management it has grown and pros- pered until to-day, when it is one of the largest and wealthiest steamboat companies in our city, and does one of the largest busi- nesses done in that line. An incident in the history of Mrs. Williams' father's family is that her father, Mason Lock Weems, was
970
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
named after Rev. Mason Lock Weems (who baptized him), who is distinguished as the biographer of George Washington. And a notable incident in the family history of Mr. Williams is that his great-grandfather on his mother's side was Bishop Thomas John Claggett, the first bishop of any de- nomination ordained in America.
In 1895 the Democratic party in Balti- more, being in what politicians call "bad condition," with but slight hopes of winning the election in November, determined to make the fight with one of its best and strongest members, and the business people of the city and the party presented Mr. Wil- liams as the man who came up to all the requirements and the man who could win, if any one could, and Mr. Williams was nominated by the party for the mayoralty. He stumped the city, making a brave and determined fight, but the fates were against him, and Mr. Alcaeus Hooper, the Repub- lican candidate, was elected. Not only was the Mayoralty candidate defeated, but all the Democratic candidates for the various offices, Judge, Congressmen, Councilmen, etc., Mr. Williams, however, leading his ticket by over 3,000 votes. Again, in 1897, the people of his party, after much persua- sion, induced Mr. Williams to run again for the Mayoralty, and he was renominated by the Democratic party. He made a gal- lant fight, but on account of certain cir- cumstances and issues, connected with the campaign, which had no relation whatever to him, personally or politically, he and the whole Democratic ticket were defeated at the November election, Mr. William T. Malster, his opponent on the Republican ticket, being elected Mayor. Mr. Williams ran ahead of his ticket again. Although he
was defeated, there is no man who stands higher in Baltimore to-day as a gentleman and business man of the strictest integrity, or is more popular among all classes of the people, he being regarded as one of our first class and most progressive citizens, who since he came among us, over twenty years ago, has done as much, if not more, than almost any other citizen in building up our city and its business. As a man he is af- fable, pleasant and kind, very charitable and always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need.
He has six children: Mason Lock Weems, who is associated with his father in the management of the business of the Weems Steamboat line, and is a director in the company; Henry, Jr., who is treasurer of the company; Elizabeth Chew; George Weems, member of the Baltimore bar; John Hamilton Chew, and Matilda Weems Wil- liams. He and his family are Protestants and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
He is a member of the University Club, Merchants' Club and belongs to the Ma- sonic Order of Calvert county, Md. He and his family reside at 407 W. Lanvale street.
CAPT. AUGUSTUS L. SHUTT, dealer in coal and wood, office No. 106 N. Eutaw street, was born in Baltimore February 21, 1845. He is a son of the late Col. Augustus P. Shutt, who was born in Baltimore, June, 1816, and of Mary A. (Miller) Shutt, also born in Baltimore, July, 1820. His father's and mother's parents were Germans who came to this country about the commence- ment of this century and settled in Balti- more. His father, after completing his edu-
971
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
cation in the schools of Baltimore, started life by going into the business of manufac- turing furniture on Gay street, in 1840, where he did a large business in this line, making extensive shipments to South America and other countries. Colonel Shutt continued in this business until 1845, when he was appointed High Constable of the city of Baltimore, a position now known as Marshal of Police, having under his control all the police force of the city; he held this office until 1853, when he was appointed Warden of the Baltimore City Jail, which position he held for several years, when he obtained a position as passenger conductor on the B. & O. R. R., running to Wheeling; he resigned this position in 1866. He was very popular and considered by the railroad authorities one of its most effective and re- liable officers. In 1858 he was an inde- pendent candidate for the Mayoralty of Bal- timore, running against Hon. Thomas Swann, who was elected. Colonel Shutt's friends were driven from the polls and not allowed to vote. In those "Know-Nothing" days it was almost certain death to vote, to say nothing of running for an office. But Colonel Shutt was noted for his pluck and on this occasion was induced by the best people of the city to run for the office and did so, making a brave fight, but before the polls closed retired, being convinced that the cause was lost. Colonel Shutt's run on the B. & O. R. R. was through a great por- tion of Virginia, and in those troublous times during the Civil War the track was frequently torn up by the Confederates and the trains held up by Mosby's men, and on one occasion near Duffield's Depot, in Vir- ginia, Colonel Shutt's train was thrown from the track by Mosby's men in the
night. His engineer was killed and a U. S. Paymaster relieved by them of thousands of dollars, the capture of this money being the object of the raid. Colonel Shutt was com- manded to hand over his gold watch and chain; this he did, considering it gone for- ever. Some time afterwards, when the Col- onel stopped at Duffield's Depot, a man in citizen's clothes stepped up to him and handed him his watch and chain, apologiz- ing for taking it, and explaining that when he took it he did not know the Colonel was a Southern sympathizer. Captain Shutt carries this watch and chain to-day and no money could buy it, as he values it more than any relic his father left him. Although Colonel Shutt was a strong Southern sym- pathizer, which was well known to the au- thorities of the road and to the highest Gov- ernment officials at Washington, he had the confidence of all of them, because they knew his high sense of honor would cause him to perform faithfully any duty he might under- take. As an illustration of this, when the mother of Secretary of War Stanton was ill at Steubenville, O., and the Secretary was called to her bedside, he asked the officials of the B. & O. R. R. for a special train to take him; he was given a train and Colonel Shutt was detailed to take the Secretary to Steubenville and bring him back safely. After the train left Washington and came to Monocacy in Frederick county, Md., some friends of the Secretary went into the car and told him that the conductor of the train, Shutt, was a notorious "rebel;" and when he arrived in Virginia said they would not be surprised if Shutt would have him captured by the rebels. The Secretary in- formed them that he knew Colonel Shutt was a Southern sympathizer but that he had
972
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
perfect confidence in him and was not in the least alarmed. Colonel Shutt took the Sec- retary to Steubenville and back to Washing- ton safely, and when the latter was leaving the train he thanked Colonel Shutt for his kindness during the trip, and mentioned the incident at Monocacy, assuring him that he could always rely upon him (the Secretary) as a friend; as a matter of fact they were close friends until the Secretary's death.
In May, 1857, Colonel Shutt conducted a train with military to suppress the freight conductors' strike on the B. & O. R. R. at Mt. Clare; his train was thrown from the track by the strikers. On account of his courage and faithfulness to his duty during this strike, his conduct was commended by the company and he was presented with a fine gold medal, which Captain Shutt now justly considers one of his most valued pos- sessions.
During the John Brown raid at Harper's Ferry, Va., in 1859, when Mr. Beckman, agent of the railroad company was killed by Brown's men, Colonel Shutt, who had gone to Harper's Ferry in command of the mil- itary that went from Baltimore, was ap- pointed temporary agent of the company there, and when Brown and his men were taken, Colonel Shutt helped to take them, captured from John Brown his own indi- vidual Sharpe's rifle and brought it home with him; and it is now in the possession of Captain Shutt.
When the Civil War came and the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment was passing through Baltimore to Washington, on the 19th of April, 1861, and was attacked by the mob, it was Colonel Shutt who was selected to conduct the train which finally took them through to Washington. Colonel Shutt
had a great deal of martial spirit and early in life took a great interest in military mat- ters, being commissioned from time to time until he rose to the position of colonel and commanding officer of the old Fifth Regi- ment, Maryland Volunteer Infantry, one of the most famous military organizations of that day. His commissions are now in pos- session of his son, Captain Shutt, and are as follows:
30th May, 1856, commissioned third lieu- tenant Independent Greys, Fifty-third Reg- iment.
27th December, 1856, commissioned sec- ond lieutenant same company.
26th April, 1847, commissioned captain Independent Blues, Fifth Regiment, Mary- land Volunteer Infantry.
Ioth October, 1853, commissioned major Fifth Maryland Volunteer Infantry.
22d March, 1856, commissioned lieuten- ant colonel, Fifth Maryland Volunteer In- fantry.
12th March, 1861, commissioned colonel of this distinguished regiment and remained its colonel and commanding officer until it was disbanded at the beginning of the war.
In 1866 Colonel Shutt, having resigned his position as conductor on the B. & O. R. R., removed his family to Martinsburg, W. Va., and took charge of the B. & O. R .. R. Dining Hotel at that place, where he re- mained until 1877, when he returned to Bal- timore with his family and took up his resi- dence in this city. He was a very public- spirited man and when he went to Martins- burg at once entered into every movement calculated to build up the town and efface the ravages of war; he soon became one of the most popular men in the place, being
973
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
esteemed so highly that the citizens elected him Mayor three terms, and when he re- turned to Baltimore in 1877, the City Coun- cil of Martinsburg passed resolutions ex- pressing their deep regret at the loss of so good a citizen; an engrossed copy of these resolutions was presented to him on his de- parture.
Upon his return to Baltimore he went into the coal and wood business, taking with him his son, Captain Shutt, under the firm name of A. P. Shutt & Son; their business grew and the firm soon became one of the foremost in their line in the city; Colonel Shutt continued in this business until his death, July 10, 1881, when his son, Captain Shutt, succeeded him and still conducts it under the original firm name.
Colonel Shutt's life was such an eventful one and was made up of so many stirring incidents that it would fill a volume to write them all; but looking back over his whole life, perfectly familiar as the writer of this sketch is with it, we see nothing but enno- bling qualities cropping out under all the circumstances in which he was placed; a kinder or more tender-hearted man never lived. His life was made up of charities and doing good to others, hence his popularity during his whole life.
Colonel Shutt had eight children, Captain Shutt, the subject of this sketch, being the only one living. He was educated in the private schools of Baltimore and at Loyola College, but his education was interrupted, when, as a member of Company E, Fifth Regiment, his father, Colonel Shutt, com- manding, was ordered out April 19, 1861, to suppress the riots occasioned by the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment passing through this city to Washington. After
this he quit school and went as a clerk with Lord & Robinson, wooden ware dealers; he remained with this firm until his father went to Martinsburg, when he went with him and assisted him in conducting the hotel busi- ness; he returned to Baltimore with his father in 1877 and became a partner in the firm of A. P. Shutt & Son. Captain Shutt has been married but has no children. He and his family are Protestants. He is a Democrat; Captain Shutt inherits some of his father's martial spirit and is a member of the Fifth Regiment, Veteran Corps, I. M. N. G. He is captain and quartermaster of that command and is very popular. He and his mother live at 1205 W. Lexington street.
W. COOK SANDERSON, Commission Mer- chant, whose place of business is at 104 W. German street, was born in Baltimore Sep- tember 17, 1846. His father was George H. Cook Sanderson, teller in the various banks of this city. His mother was Emily J. Cook. His father and mother were both born in this city; his father in April, 1809; his mother in June, 1812. Mr. Sanderson comes of English stock on both parent's side, his ancestors being among the old families of Maryland and Baltimore. His father died in June, 1860, and his mother in May, 1865. His father had nine children, five of whom are living, viz: George H., Mary Eliza, widow of William J. Bayless; Emily Matilda, wife of James H. Parrish; Eleanor Sweeny, wife of George H. Hein- ick, and Mr. Sanderson, the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Sanderson was educated in the pub- lic schools of Baltimore, but early in life left school and entered the service of A. J.
974
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
Norris, retail tobacco dealer, as an errand boy. From this house in 1860 he entered the service of Joseph T. Lea, wholesale dry goods commission dealer. From Mr. Lea's house in 1861 he entered the service of Isaac Coale, Jr., & Bro., gents' furnishing busi- ness, where he learned the business which he now carries on at his store, 104 W. Ger- man street. He was with the firm of Isaac Coale, Jr., & Bro. until 1876, when they re- tired from business and Mr. Sanderson suc- ceeded, doing business on his own account. He had no capital and depended upon his own exertions for success; by hard work, plenty of pluck, and observing in all his dealings the strictest honesty, he has built up a large and successful business, extending over Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, all of which go to show that our self-made men like Mr. San- derson, if they pursue his course can achieve as great a measure of success as he has done.
Mr. Sanderson was married in this city December 16, 1869, to Miss Mary Eliza Cator, daughter of Benjamin and Louisa Cator; both her parents were Marylanders who belonged to some of the oldest fami- lies in the State. Mr. Sanderson has two children, Eva Coale and Emily Louise San- derson. He and his family attend Grace M. E. Church.
He is a member of the Odd Fellows, Merchants' Club, and has for several years been commissioner for Lafayette Square. He is a Democrat but not a politician; he devotes all his time to his business. His manner is pleasant, having a very kindly dis- position and is popular among his friends. He is a business man of the strictest integ- rity and honor and stands high in the com- munity. He with his family reside at 906 N. Arlington avenue.
COL. GEORGE RIGGS GAITHER, office 100 W. Lafayette street.
Col. George Riggs Gaither was born in Baltimore January 21, 1831 ; his father was George Riggs Gaither, born in Montgom- ery county, Md., April 15, 1797; his mother was Hannah Smith Bradley, born in Wash- ington City in 1800. His father's ancestry were English. John Gaither, his father's ancestor, came to this country with Lord Baltimore and settled in Maryland. His mother's ancestors, the Bradleys, who were Scotch, came to this country in the early days of the country and settled in Connecti- cut; on both his father's and mother's side he came from families that were the most prominent people of their day. His father was one of the leading dry goods merchants of this city; he died September 14, 1875, and his mother June 20, 1873. His father had ten children, two of whom are living- Thomas Henry Gaither, of Howard county, M.d., and Colonel Gaither.
Colonel Gaither was educated at Law- renceville, N. J., and at H. R. McNally's Classical School in Baltimore; after finish- ing his education he commenced the world as a farmer, and continued farming until the war began in 1861, when he went South and entered the Confederate Army; he com- manded Company K, First Virginia Cav- alry, one of the most noted and distin- guished regiments in the Confederate ser- vice, its first commander being Gen. J. E. B. Stewart; second, Gen. W. E. Jones; after- wards, Gen. Fitz Lee. Colonel Gaither served during the entire war and was in all of the most important battles-first and sec- ond battle of Bull Run; the celebrated cav- alry fight at Brandy Station, Va., June 9, 1863; battle of Cold Harbor; battle of Get- tysburg, etc .- fought by the army of Gen.
975
HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
Robert E. Lee during the war. Colonel Gaither was regarded in his command as one of the bravest and most gallant officers in the regiment-in fact, he could not have been an officer and served in the First Vir- ginia Cavalry, or, as it was called, Stewart's regiment, if he had not been a brave and gallant soldier. He was captured and made a prisoner once during the war, exchanged and returned to his command. At the end of the war Colonel Gaither returned to Maryland and took up his residence in Bal- timore and engaged in the cotton business until 1879, when he retired. Although he went through all the harshdips of war his martial spirit has not died out and he takes a great interest in the Maryland military; he has served as lieutenant colonel of the Fifth Maryland Infantry, M. N. G., and is now colonel commanding the Fifth Regi- ment, M. N. G., Veteran Corps.
August 7, 1851, in Howard county, Md., Colonel Gaither married Miss Rebecca Hanson Dorsey, of that county; she is the daughter of Col. Charles S. W. Dorsey and Mary Pue Ridgely, her parents on both sides being descendants of the earliest set- tlers and most prominent families of Mary- land. Colonel Gaither has had nine chil- dren: Mary Ridgely, Henrietta, George Riggs, Jr., Charles Dorsey, Abram Bradley John Dorsey, Thomas Henry, Ridgely and Rebecca Dorsey Gaither, all of whom are living except Thomas who died. All of these children were educated in private schools in Baltimore. George Riggs, Jr., who is a prominent member of the Balti- more bar, and a prominent Republican pol- itician, and his brother, Abram Bradley, a prominent physician, of this city, are both graduates of Princeton College. John Dor-
sey is treasurer of the State Tobacco Ware- houses.
Colonel Gaither and his family attend the Protestant Episcopal Church. He is a Democrat.
Colonel Gaither comes from good stock on both his father's and mother's side, as his father's uncle, Henry Gaither, was an officer in the Revolutionary War, serving as captain in the Maryland Line, and lieutenant commanding in the Third Regiment Infan- try, U. S. A., and one of five lieutenant col- onels appointed when the U. S. Army was first organized. His father also served in Peter's Artillery during the War of 1812 and was in four engagements including the bat- tle of Bladensburg, from which his com- pany retreated after the battle was lost, bringing off their guns and caissons, their company being one of the very few in that fight which maintained good order when they retired from that unfortunate field.
His grandfather on his mother's side, Abram Bradley, was one of the early officers of the U. S. Government, being First As- sistant Postmaster General under President John Adams, and had entire charge of the removal of the General Postoffice to Wash- ington when the Government was removed there in 1800; he carried everything belong- ing to the department in four 4-horse wagons, traveling from Philadelphia to Washington by the county roads. Now it would take a dozen trains of cars to trans- fer everything connected with the postoffice department from Washington to Philadel- phia, which goes to show how this great and grand country of ours has grown.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.