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 91

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 91

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His first visit to America was in June 1876, when he came to Philadelphia on a visit to "A. L. O. E." (a famous authoress) who was his patient during his professional practice in London, and who afterwards became his wife. During his visit he in- troduced his first invention to the dental

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HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

profession of this country, and made acquaintance of Profs. Essig, Darby and Barker, now of the University of Penn- sylvania. It was suggested to him by them that he enter the Dental College in Phila- delphia, and having left his London prac- tice in competent hands, he decided to do so, and graduated from that institution, returning to London and resuming his practice after his completion of the course.

He again met A. L. O. E. in Paris and London, renewing the friendship that had brought him to the United States, and which culminated in their marriage at Great Mal- vern, England. The Doctor then sold his practice to Doctor Buller and bought a small estate in Essex, near the famous Aud- ley Court, properly named Ingatestone Hall. From this quiet spot they wandered to Bournemouth in the south of England, re- maining there for three years, gaining a large circle of friends and patients. Their next move was to France, where he prac- ticed in Paris, in the Rue de la Faurie de Monbadon, and residing at the Chateau de Tuilleries, in the Medoc. The climate being too warm for Mrs. Genese who had passed most of her time in America, they paid another visit to England, and then (1876) came to Baltimore making it their permanent home.

Shortly after his arrival in this city, the Doctor filled a position in the University of Maryland as clinical instructor, relinquish- ing it after three years in consequence of his growing practice. He was also a modellor for the University of Maryland in plastic work, reproducing by casts and coloring to nature models for illustration; also engaged in restoring by artificial means prominent features of the face lost

by accident or deformity; his reputation for this work is national.

He is a regular contributor to various medical journals, the most of which are The Cosmos, Items of Interest, Southern Dental Magazine and the Ohio State Journal. From 1877 to 1880 he was a member of the Hampshire Yeoman Cavalry, a volunteer regiment for home service under Lord John Mildmay. He is a member of the In- ventors' Institute of London and Paris; State Dental Society of Maryland; South- ern Dental Association; New Jersey Dental Association and is dentist to St. Mary's In- dustrial School.

Doctor Genese has been the 201st vice- president and president of the Maryland State Dental Society, and has had the honor of. giving clinics before the State So- ciety of New York, New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, District of Columbia, Vir- ginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky. He is an inventor of no mean order, having obtained over forty patents on machines for the manu- facture of dental and pharmaceutical prep- arations of great value to the medical and dental professions. The late Wilmington Dental Co. where his representatives in the United States for supplying his inventions to the profession, while Messrs. C. Ash & Son of London and Paris, and Mr. Eiche of Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, were his representatives in Europe.

The Doctor was the first person to ship to Africa from this city, sending articles of his own manufacture to Johannisburg and Graffe-Rennett. His last and most impor- tant invention connected with pharmacy was sold to Burroughs, Welcome & Co., of London, for a handsome sum, going himself

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to London to fit up a laboratory, and to in- struct the employes in the manipulation of the work, he retaining control of the American branch with Burroughs Bros. Mfg. Co., Baltimore, as the distributing agents. He has also invented an aceteline lamp which he has under perfect control, a condition hitherto difficult to obtain. He has given considerable employment to the engineers of Baltimore, the Goodman Machine Co., having manufactured the machinery used in the plant that the Doctor established in England for Burroughs & Co. The J. B. Morris Co. has made a great deal of fine dental machinery for him. Such satisfaction did the Goodman machinery give the London house, that within eight months a duplicate set of double the capac- ity was ordered in Baltimore from the same firm. Keen & Haggerty made all of the copper stills used in that plant, and they also have been duplicated.

As a rest from labor, the Doctor bought a farm in Kent county, Md., near Bet- terton, where he and Mrs. Genese enter- tained their friends during the summer, but which he has rented since the death of his wife. 'The farm afforded an opportunity for indulgence and practical demonstration in the studies of ornithology and experimen- tal agriculture, of which the Doctor is very fond. He has introduced at his place va- rious trees and plants hitherto unknown in that section, importing the seeds from dis- tant lands. He has always taken a deep interest in ornithology, and some time ago wrote a public letter which was extensively copied, in reference to the prevailing idea that the English sparrow destroyed our small plumage birds ; he clearly proved this to be fallacious. For several years he has

forbidden the trapping and shooting of birds on his farm, until to-day every bird indig- enous to the State of Maryland can be found either in the woods or on the lawn, proving that gunners and trappers, and not the sparrows are responsible for the de- struction of the native birds. The Doctor's place is on Chesapeake Bay, and from his porch may be had a magnificent water view, embracing a sight of the Susquehanna, Northeast, Elk and Sassafras rivers.

The lady who became his wife was Miss Annie Woodward, daughter of William Woodward, Esq., Q. C. of London. Mrs. Genese was a literary woman of some pro- minence, writing under the nom de plume of "A. L. O. E." for James Gordon Ben- nett, of the New York Herald; N. P. Willis, of the Home Journal, and others, besides being the author of numerous works of fiction. She died about four years ago. The Doctor resides at Harlem Park, Bal- timore, where he enjoys a lucrative practice. In politics he is a Democrat.

REV. CHARLES ERNEST SMITH, D. D., rector of St. Michael and All Angels Church, was born in Cheshire, England, Oc- tober 24, 1855. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Lowe) Smith. His father was a classical master in various colleges and af- terwards established a school. He was a classical prize man of Victoria University. of Manchester; he is deceased, but Doctor Smith's mother is still living. Doctor Smith was educated by his father ; also at private schools in Chester and at St. Augustine's, Canterbury. Whilst there he obtained the college diploma in 1879, having previously passed the Oxford and Cambridge examina- tions for holy orders, graduating in the first

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class. He was also Ernest Hawkins prize mail. Afterwards at Durham University he graduated B. A. from University College, with honors in classical and general litera- ture, 1887. In 1892 St. John's College, Annapolis, Md., conferred the honorary de- gree of M. A., and since then that of D. D. In 1896 the University of the South, Sew- anee, Tenn., also conferred upon him the de- gree of D. D. He was ordained deacon by Bishop of Newfoundland in his Cathedral on Trinity Sunday, 1880, and subsequently priest in 1882, in the parish church of Bri- gus, same diocese. After ordination he was appointed curate of Harbor Grace, where he remained for fifteen months. He then became rector of Heart's Content, where he acted as chaplain of the Anglo-American Cable Company's staff. Seven years later he accepted the rectorship of St. Paul's par- ish, Prince George county, Md., which he held three years. While there he declined several calls to this and other cities. Was called to the rectorship of St. Michael and All Angels March, 1892, in which year Bishop Paret appointed him an examining chaplain of the Diocese of Maryland. The Bishop also appointed him lecturer to the Maryland Theological Class on Old Testa- ment and Dogmatic Theology. Four years ago he published "The Old Church in the New Land," now in its second edition. A year later "In the Household of Faith;" since then he has published a manual for confirmation candidates, entitled "A Call to Confirmation," which is now in its third thousand; also "Readings and Prayers for a Communicants' Class." He is now writing "Early Church History of Maryland." Doc- tor Smith is also chaplain of the Hospital for Crippled and Deformed Children. During

Doctor Smith's rectorship the Church of St. Michael and All Angels has had a remark- able growth. From 471 communicants connected with the church in 1892, the num- ber in 1897 had arisen to 1013. In March of the same year the church presented for confirmation eighty persons, being the largest class for this purpose ever presented in Baltimore during the present Episcopate.

In 1897 he was Bishop Paret's special chaplain of the Fourteenth Lambeth Con- ference meeting under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1882 he was married to Flora, daugh- ter of George and Jean Wood, of Sussex House, East Molesey, England. They have one son, Marcus Harold, and five daugh- ters, Marcella, Monica, Barbara, Helena and Olive. Doctor Smith has one brother, John, who is in Australia, and two sisters, Ada and Gertrude.

WILLIAM HART ALGER, elocutionist, Bal- timore. This energetic and enterprising young gentleman has by his pluck and the gifts of nature managed to put himself to the front as an elocutionist in his native city (Baltimore) where he was born February 12, 1871. He is the son of Porter R. and Flor- ence (Brosius) Alger. The former was born in Syracuse, N. Y., in 1838, of English origin; the latter is a native of Maryland, and was born in 1848 of English and Ger- man descent. The family consists of three children, two now living, Louise and Wil- liam Hart. The father of our subject has spent a considerable part of his life in mer- cantile business, chiefly in the boot and shoe trade, and has been a commercial traveler in that line for many years; has an extensive acquaintance in Maryland and Kentucky.

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He can spin yarns in the style of Abraham Lincoln and is gifted in conversational pow- ers. The latter quality has been transmitted to his son, the subject of this sketch, who is at present in the employ of The New England Life Insurance Company, head- quarters in the Herald Building, Baltimore. He spends many pleasant evenings enter- taining private parties and is often called upon to give public performances both here and in Washington, D. C. As an elocution- ist and an imitator he has few equals in Maryland. On account of ill health he was compelled to leave school when but 17 years old. He is specially gifted in originality and his recitations, etc., are chiefly of his own composition. He is an active member of the Y. M. C. A., and also of the Royal Arcanum. He is non-partisan in politics, and in religion the family is Protestant.

REV. H. M. WHARTON, D. D .- Perhaps there is no man better known in the city of Baltimore, by all denominations and the public generally, than the subject of this sketch. He came to Baltimore the first of January, 1881, as pastor of Lee Street Church, and entered upon his duties by holding a series of meetings and preaching every night for ten weeks, and receiving more than two hundred additions into his church.

Henry Marvin Wharton was born at Western View, Culpeper county, Va., Sep- tember II, 1848. He was the son of Mal- com H. and Susan R. Wharton, parents noted for their intelligence, piety and in- fluence in the community. He was the youngest of eight children, and as such was the idol of his parents, and his brothers and

sisters. His mother died when he was thir- teen years of age, and when he most needed a mother's care, for it was when the storms of war were beating with all their fury upon the land, destroying homes, and driving the scattered members of our happy family circles into situations of danger, and even of demoralization and ruin.

At the age of fifteen young Wharton en- tered the service of the Confederate States, first as a druggist in the hospital dispen- sary, then as a member of the Signal Corps, and finally a private soldier under General Lee. He followed him to Appomattox, and laid down his gun on the memorable 9th of April. On his return from the war he went to Mexico, where he remained some months, but soon returned to his na- tive State, and at the age of nineteen en- tered the practice of law. For five years he practiced, not only with success, but dis- tinction, but at the age of twenty-five being converted to God, he devoted himself to the ministry of the Gospel, and from that time until now he has followed that calling.

When he came to Baltimore he soon learned that there was no denominational paper among his own people in this city. He began a modest little monthly church paper, which soon grew into the Baltimore Baptist, and is now the well-known Evangel, read in many homes throughout the land. His assistants in this undertaking were Rev. A. C. Barron, D. D., a life-long friend, and Mr. L. M. Cross, also an intimate per- sonal friend.

As Mr. Wharton went about the streets of the city seeing the suffering of those who had walked away in sin and fallen into degradation and disgrace, he conceived the

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idea that the proper time to begin to reform the outcast i: when they are children. He therefore started a home for these, and be- gan to pick up here and there helpless little waifs, some of whom were taken from the streets, some from the Society for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to Children, while others were brought by widowed mothers and placed in his care. It was not long until an orphanage was founded which grew very rapidly. In fact, the building at first rented was soon overcrowded, and he was forced to move to larger quarters. The comfort- able building now at the corner of Lanvale and Fremont streets is filled with children, and is altogether insufficient for the work.

In addition to this, believing that it would be wise to separate the children as much as possible from their old associa- tions, he secured a farm of more than two hundred acres of land in the valley of Vir- ginia, near Luray, and named it "The Whosoever Farm," where children, with- out regard to denomination or creed, are all received and cared for. Here they are educated, clothed, fed and taught to work.

With all the demands pressing upon him, he was forced to give up the pastoral care of the Lee Street Church, and devoted him- self to the establishment of his paper, and other enterprises. While this was going on a little mission was being formed in the city by a few young people. They asked Doctor Wharton to give some of his spare time and attention to this work. He ac- cepted the invitation, believing it would be merely incidental to his general work, but the little building was soon over-crowded. A large lot was purchased at the corner of Schroeder street and Edmondson avenue, and the Brantly Memorial Church, which

is the largest of any denomination in this city, now stands as a result of the labors of this little congregation. Beginning with thirty-two, they now have about one thou- sand members, while the congregation overcrowds the building every Sunday.

Besides this, the large book and publish- ing house of Wharton, Barron & Company, located at 304 North Howard street, is also one of the enterprises founded by him. He is also president and originator of the Na- tional Evangelization Society for the prop- agation of the gospel among all denomi- nations, and in destitute places where the gospel is not heard.

As may well be supposed, all these en- terprises require a great amount of money, and he depends entirely upon the contribu- tions of those whom the Lord has blessed with enough and to spare.

It was during the panic of '93, and the hard winter that followed, that Dr. and Mrs. Wharton, with a number of members from the Brantly Church, would go with two wagons, one carrying the gospel and the other a lot of sandwiches and other good things to eat, among the most destitute of our population. They would stand upon the wagon and sing and preach, while the people would help themselves to something to satisfy their hunger. It was an interest- ing sight to look down upon the assembled multitude listening to the gospel while eagerly devouring the sandwiches they had taken from the wagon.

Doctor Wharton is an evangelist and preaches in meetings all over this country. He has also visited Europe, Asia and Africa and preached the gospel there: When asked on one occasion with refer- ence to his occupation, as to whether he

HankDraw

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was an evangelist and did pastoral work in- cidentally, or vice versa, he replied that his work was all one, and if a man could drive a team of six he could carry more than with a single horse. He believes that every tal- ent God has given us should be used for His glory and the good of our fellow-man, and that change of work, not inactivity, is rest.

Doctor Wharton has been twice married. His first wife was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. George W. Rust, of Luray, Va., and the only child. She lived only three and a half years after his marriage, and died just before he came to this city. After thirteen years he married the daughter of Mr. James Pollard, a prominent lawyer of Baltimore.

He is the author of sixteen different works, and is now the president of a woman's college at Luray, Va., where a large and excellent school for young ladies is conducted, under the direction of an ex- cellent set of teachers.

He believes that the happiest life is the busiest when it is lived to make this world better, and to help those who are strug- gling in the great battle for bread. As will be seen by his photograph he is now in the prime and vigor of life, giving promise of many years of earnest work yet to come. He is devoted to Baltimore, and says there is no city on all the earth where there are better people, greater facilities for the en- joyment of life, or greater opportunities for the highest usefulness.

HIRAM F. STRAUS, Insurance Broker, Baltimore, Md., was born in this city De- cember 17, 1861. He is a son of Joseph and Bettie (Lazarus) Straus. The former was born in 1835, the latter in 1837, both

natives of Germany. In religion the family are members of the Reformed Jewish de- nomination. Our subject's mother is a niece of Jonas Friedenwald. This family is among the most prominent and wealthy manufacturers and merchants of this city.

In 1843 our subject's parents emigrated from Germany and settled in Baltimore; his father carried on the clothing business here with success until he went to South Carolina, where he continued that business until he was stricken with yellow fever, which caused his death in 1872. Two of their three children are living, Miss Lina, resides with her brother Hiram F., whose name heads this sketch.

He was educated in Baltimore, first in the public schools, and afterwards attend- cd Bryant & Stratton's Commercial Col- lege. In 1874, two years after his father's death, when he was only fifteen years old, he commenced his business life as an er- rand boy for Lewis Newman, dry goods merchant of Baltimore; was subsequently apprenticed and learned printing, continu- ing it until he reached the important posi- tion of foreman for Griffin, Curley & Co .. Printers, 202 E. Baltimore street. When that firm went out of business in 1892 he then embarked in his present business; his office is at 1611 N. Fulton avenue, Balti- more, where he can always be found at- tending to all the minute affairs of his busi- ness. He is an active member of the fol- lowing societies: Treasurer of Star of the West Council, Jr. O. U. A. M. : financial sec- retary of Lord Baltimore Council, National Union; financial secretary and recorder of Rising Star Lodge, Sexennial League: Oriental Lodge, J. O. M .; Oriental Court. Jr. O. U. A. M .; Zeter Conclave, Hepta-

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sophs. He has the confidence of his brother members and takes an interest in every- thing connected with the societies.

In politics he is a staunch Republican. In 1890 he was nominated on his party's ticket for the Legislature, and to illustrate his popularity, we point to the fact that he ran ahead of any other candidate on the ticket, receiving the largest vote that had been given for years for any Republican in the First District. In 1896 Governor Lowndes appointed him Tax Assessor.

HARRY PATTERSON HOPKINS, composer, was born in Baltimore, Md., May 25, 1873. He is the son of John S. and Mary A. (Lampher) Hopkins. John S. came from Harford county, Md., and entered the ser- vice of the B. & O. Railroad as collector, after which he established the wholesale wooden-ware business in Baltimore. In masonry he attained the thirty-third degree, and, prior to his death, was president of the Tax Payers' Association of Baltimore. He was of Quaker parentage, whilst his wife was of English descent. Being a busi- ness man, he was anxious to have his son join him in that occupation, but having no such inclination, young Hopkins, with his father's permission, began to study music at an early age. In 1888 the boy entered the Peabody Institute, and during his tui- tion there he was elected organist of the First Reformed Church; later on he re- signed his positon for a similar one at Grace M. E. Church, at which latter place he has given a number of organ recitals. In 1897 he accepted the position of organ- ist of the Har Sinai Synagogue. Mr. Hop- kins received the diploma of Distinguished Musicianship from the Peabody in 1895.

He is the composer of a number of cham- ' ber and orchestral works, among which are the following: Four songs, a piano trio, string quartette, two piano quintettes, piano sextette, a comic opera, two organ compo- sitions, female chorus, "A Tragedy," con- cert overture, "Death's Dance," a suite of piano pieces, and a symphony, "Vather." Whilst at the Peabody Mr. Hopkins studied under Hamerik in composition. In 1896 he was elected a member of both the New York and Chicago Manuscript Societies, and of the Peabody Alumni Association of Baltimore. His works have all been pro- duced either in this country or in Denmark. He is thoroughly American in all his views, and endeavors to make his compositions in- dicate that independence.

The firm of K. KATZ & SONS, Clothiers and Merchant Tailors, is composed of Kaufmann Katz, Meier Katz and Zadok Katz. Kaufmann Katz, the senior member, was born in Bavaria in 1824. After a meagre early education in his native place, he came to America in 1850; was engaged as a clerk in New York and Baltimore, and in 1857 went into the clothing business on his own account at Port Deposit, Md., where he remained until 1880, at which time he came to Baltimore and established the firm of K. Katz & Co., at the present place of business, 309 E. Baltimore street. After successfully conducting the business until 1887, the firm of Katz & Sackerman was founded, which firm ceased to exist in 1897, after ten years of unvarying prosperity, giv- ing place to the present firm.

May 1, 1857, he was riarried to Miss Henrietta Tannebaum, of Bavaria. As a result of this union nine children were born.

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Moses, who is engaged in the dry goods and clothing business at Kissimee, Florida ; Esther, wife of L. M. Sackerman, dealer in furnishing goods on N. Gay street, Balti- more; Meier, member of the present firm; Zadok, member of the present firm; Re- becca, unmarried; Carrie, wife of A. J. Weinberg, one of the proprietors of the Baltimore Bargain House; Katie and Sophie, unmarried; Abraham, clerk in the Baltimore Bargain House. During his residence at Port Deposit, Mr. Katz was Coroner of Cecil county for several terms. . He is a Mason of the Thirty-second de- gree; supreme treasurer of the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith; treasurer of the Oheb Shalom Congregation (Eutaw Place and Lanvale street), and is a member of various other orders. Mr. Katz is a Reformed He- brew.

Meier Katz, of K. Katz & Sons, was born in 1863 in Port Deposit, Md. Received his early education at the public schools of Port Deposit and Baltimore. He began his business career as clerk for his father, con- tinuing in that capacity until he entered the present firm in 1897. In 1889 he mar- ried Miss Sophie Van Leer, daughter of the late Solomon Van Leer (and Hannah Harsh) member of the firm of Henry Son- neborn & Co. Three children have been born to them: Z. Morton, Hilda and Esther. Mr. Katz is a member of the Royal Arca- num and other beneficial orders.

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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