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 96

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 96

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HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Bucks county, Pa. Mrs. Knapp's parents were Americans and descendants of the earliest settlers of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Knapp have four children: George Wroth, Alfred Marion, William Gideon, and Emma Kate; his sons are students at Johns Hopkins University and Professor Lamb's School. The family are Episco- palians and in politics Mr. Knapp is a Dem- ocrat. He is a member of the Maryland Club, Catonsville Country Club and the Academy of Arts and Sciences. Mr. Knapp has full charge of the practical part of the business of the firm of Matthai, Ingram & Co., of which he is a member, having been connected with it from its beginning. Through his wise management and me- chanical skill and inventive genius the busi- ness has become one of the most important of its kind in the world. The warerooms are at 109, III and 113 Hanover street. Mr. Knapp is a genial gentleman and stands high with our people. He resides with his family at 1232 Lafayette avenue, West.

COL. JAMES FRANKLIN SUPPLEE, mem- ber of the firm of Hodges Bros., importers and jobbers of dress goods, hosiery and no- tions, 23 Hanover street, is the son of Franklin and Harriet (Lee) Supplee, and was born in Wilmington, Del., March 22, 1850, but has resided in Baltimore since 1851. Colonel Supplee's father was born December 27, 181I, at the "Supplee Home- stead," Worcester township, Montgomery county, Pa., twenty miles northwest of Philadelphia. His mother was born in Pennsylvania, February 21, 1809, Colonel Supplee's father and mother being of Amer- ican descent for five generations. His father's first ancestor in this country was

a Frenchman, Hance Supplee, who was a soldier and died at the "Supplee Home- stead" in 1767; his son Abraham Supplee, his grandson Nathan and great-grandson Franklin Supplee were all born at this old homestead. Colonel Supplee's father came to Baltimore to reside in 1851; he was an attorney-at-law and Judge of the Orphans' Court of Baltimore for eight years. Both parents are now deceased, his father dying in 1886 and his mother in 1870; they had eight children, all of whom are deceased ex- cept Mrs. Joshua P. Reynolds, Mrs. Eva S. Megraw and Mrs. Howard Miller, of Baltimore; Mrs. W. Frank Hart, of Bridge- ton, N. J., and Col. Frank Supplee. Colonel Supplee was educated in the public schools of Baltimore and is a graduate of the Balti- more City College. He was married No- vember 22, 1874, to Miss Kate, daughter of James Edward Cochran, of Maryland; both her parents are deceased. Colonel Supplee has six children: Bessie Cochran, James Franklin, Jr., Henry Clay Miller, Daisy Kate, Albert Cummings and Cochran Sup- plee. Bessie was educated at the Woman's College, Baltimore; James Franklin, Jr., at Princeton University and Henry Clay Miller at Baltimore City College. Colonel Supplee and family are members of the M. E. Church. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., O. G. C., U. S. B. F., Royal Arca- num, Jr. O. U. A. M., Sons of the Revolu- tion, Merchants' Club and other organiza- tions ; is lieutenant colonel Fourth Regiment Infantry, Maryland National Guard. He is a Republican and takes an active part in politics. Was elected City Register by the City Council, February, 1898, for two years. As a public speaker has achieved quite a reputation; is also a noted singer. Colonel

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Supplee is an active business man and was connected with the wholesale dry goods house of Daniel Miller & Co. from 1868 to 1890, being buyer and manager of the no- tion department for seventeen years, and for thirteen years a member of the firm. He organized the Chesapeake Shirt Company in 1887 and was for ten years its president, an enterprise giving employment to 600 op- eratives and having a capital of $100,000. Upon the death of Mr. James Hodges in 1895 he re-organized the firm of Hodges Bros., as the head of the concern. This house was founded in 1846 and is the oldest and largest of its kind in Baltimore. Colonel Supplee also organized the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Fire Insurance Company in 1895, one of the most important com- panies in the State; he is now its vice-presi- dent. He is a director of the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company and a di- rector of the Monumental Savings and Loan Association, a director of the Merchants' and Manufacturers' Association and was a director on the part of the city in the B. & O. R. R. from 1884 to 1887 and served in the second branch of the City Council from 1889 to 1893. In all municipal celebrations or anything that conduces to the city's inter- est, Colonel Supplee always takes a promi- nent and active part. He was organizer, chairman of the committee and chief mar- shal of the great Civic and Trades' Display in Baltimore in 1889. Colonel Supplee stands high among all classes and is one of the most popular and best known men in Baltimore. He resides at 1625 Eutaw Place, one of the most beautiful residence portions of the city.

ERNST SCHMEISSER, Tobacco Manufac- turer, formerly of the firm of G. W. Gail & Ax (I to 19 Barre street), Baltimore, now G. W. Gail & Ax, branch of the American Tobacco Company, is a son of Christian and Marianne (Dresler) Schmeisser, of Sie- gen, Westphalia. Both of his parents were of German nativity and descent, his father (now deceased) having been a prominent physician of Siegen and his mother being still a resident of that city. They had six children, two daughters who are still living, and four sons, Adolph, Ernst, Heinrich and Karl. Adolph and Heinrich died. Karl is Ober-Bergrath in the service of the German Empire. In the interests of his Government he made extensive investigations of the Af- rican gold fields, and subsequently visited the Australasian fields on behalf of an Eng- lish syndicate. Ernst Schmeisser was born in Siegen in 1851. Quitting school there in the fall of 1868 he came to America and located in Baltimore. For three years he was in the employ of the banking house of Kummer & Becker. From 1871 to 1876 he clerked and traveled for the to- bacco manufacturing firm of G. W. Gail & Ax. From April 2, 1876, to April 2, 1882, he was in partnership associa- tion with Mr. Henry Lauts, carrying on the export leaf and general commission business under the firm name of Lauts & Schmeisser. During this latter period, Sep- tember 30, 1879, Mr. Schmeisser married Miss Louise, daughter of G. W. Gail, Sr., founder of the well-known firm of G. W. Gail & Ax, and a member thereof until its dissolution in 1892, when the business was sold out to the American Tobacco Com- pany. Mr. Schmeisser is now manager of

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this branch. Mr. and Mrs. Schmeisser have four children, Wilhelm C., Ernst Gail, Heinrich C. and Gerhard Lauts Schmeisser. The family are Lutherans, and reside at 2401 Eutaw Place. Mr. Schmeisser is a valued and valuable factor in the business growth of Baltimore, and is identified with a number of the institutions and an active member of many of the prominent societies and clubs of the city. He is president of the General German Orphan Asylum of Baltimore; vice-president of the Germania Club; vice-president of the Mutual Fire In- surance Company of Baltimore; vice-presi- dent of the Patapsco Fire Insurance Com- pany of Baltimore, and one of the directory of Hopkins Place Savings Bank. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity and of the Lincoln and Union League Clubs.

CHARLES O. SCULL, Baltimore, was born in Somerset county, Pa., November 27, 1851. He is a son of Edward and Louise (Ogle) Scull, both Pennsylvanians, their an- cestors being among the early settlers of that State; his father is an attorney and both of his parents reside in Somerset county, Pa. Mr. Scull was educated at Newell In- stitute, Pittsburg, Pa., and graduated there- from in 1869. He entered the railway ser- vice at Columbus, O., in January, 1870, and continued with the Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg until 1886, when he entered the service of the B. & O. R. R. as their general passenger agent, which position he held un- til April, 1897. The intricate and onerous duties of this office Mr. Scull discharged with signal ability and he was regarded as one of the most efficient general passenger agents in the country. The severance of his connection with railroad interests was

regretted generally by his professional col- leagues and associates. February 1, 1898, Mr. Scull was appointed general manager of the railway department of the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company of Baltimore. He is unmarried and resides in Baltimore.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MOORE, Oyster and Fruit Packer, place of business foot of Montgomery street, was born in Somerset county, Md., November II, 1842. His father was Jonathan W. Moore, a sea cap- tain of Scotch descent, born and raised in Delaware. He came to Maryland to reside, settling in Somerset county, and married Rebecca E. Shores, of that county, her an- cestors being of English descent and among the earliest settlers of Maryland. Her father served in the War of 1812. Mr. Moore's ancestors were early settlers in Delaware. Capt. Jonathan W. Moore had four children, all deceased except the sub- ject of this sketch and his brother Jonathan W. Moore, who lives in this State and is also a sea captain; both their parents are de- ceased. Mr. Moore was educated in the public schools of Somerset county, but early in life he went to Annapolis to live and started in life as a clerk in a small grocery store, after which he went into the oyster business, beginning in a very modest way, but by hard work, energy and attention to business gradually increased it until he es- tablished a good business; then wishing to still further increase it, he came to Balti- more in 1872 to reside and opened a place here as oyster and fruit packer under the name of George W. Moore & Co., until 1875, when the firm of Moore & Brady was formed, which is now one of the leading

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houses of the kind in the city, doing one of the largest businesses. The firm of Moore & Brady was one of the originators of the Canned Goods Exchange of Baltimore. Mr. Moore served twice as first vice-presi- dent and is now serving his second term as president; he is also president of the Na- tional Canned Goods Association of the United States. Mr. Moore has been mar- ried twice, first in 1862 to Lutia Evans, daughter of Samuel Evans and Jane Nor- man, all of Maryland, and after the death of his first wife, to Alice Brown, daughter of Jacob Brown, of Baltimore, and Alice Owens, of Matthews county, Va. Mr. Moore has eight children: George N., Laura, Harvey, Brady, Alice, Carrie, Cath- erine, and Jacob Carson Moore. He and his family are Methodists; he is also a Ma- son, Odd Fellow and belongs to the order of Red Men. In politics he is a Democrat and in 1866 held a position as an officer in the Legislature of Maryland, and has been a member of the Harbor Board of Balti- more. Mr. Moore stands high as a business man and citizen, noted for his kind disposi- tion and liberality, always contributing to deserving charities and taking pleasure in doing good to others. He and his family re- side at their beautiful home, 1806 Eutaw Place.

JAMES H. BRADY, Oyster and Fruit Packer, member of the firm of Moore & Brady, whose place of business is the foot of Montgomery street, is the son of Patrick Brady and Catherine O'Rourke, and was born in Ireland in January, 1848; in 1853 came with his parents to this country, land- ing in Philadelphia, and settling in Steuben- ville, O., where his mother still resides, his

father being deceased. He resided with his parents at Steubenville until 1871, when he came to Baltimore to live and was with James E. Stansberry as salesman, who was engaged in the oyster business, until 1875, when he formed a partnership with Mr. George W. Moore and they formed the firm of Moore & Brady, oyster and fruit packers, now one of the leading houses in that line in our city, Mr. Brady through his activity, push and business qualification having assisted his partner, Mr. Moore, very much in bringing the house and its business to the present high standard and great business. Mr. Brady is married and has six children. He and his family are Protestants and reside at No. 100 East North avenue, Baltimore.

GEORGE WILLIAM GAIL, JR., Tobacco Manufacturer, place of business Gail & Ax Building, Nos. I to 19 E. Barre street, is the son of Georg Wilhelm Gail, founder of the well-known house of Gail & Ax, to- bacco manufacturers, and was born in Bal- timore the 14th of October, 1864. His father, Georg Wilhelm Gail, was born in Giessen, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, the 8th of July, 1828, and came to this country in 1847, locating in Baltimore; his mother was Mary E. Felgner, and was born in Bal- timore, February 8, 1837, her parents both having located in Baltimore from Germany. Georg Wilhelm Gail,; after settling here, started in a small way in the tobacco busi- ness and continued in this business until 1860, when he and Mr. Ax formed a part- nership and established the house of Gail & Ax, tobacco manufacturers; his father is still living, but his mother is deceased, she dying the 9th of March, 1891, leaving one

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son and four daughters. Mr. Gail married a second time and has one son by this mar- riage. Mr. George W. Gail, Jr., has a fine education, having attended the public and private schools of Baltimore and also had the advantages of private tutors.

After attaining his education, his father desiring to make a business man of him, put him with the wholesale tobacco house of Bendheim Brothers & Co., then of Balti- more, where he served in the capacity of clerk, after which his father in February, 1885, took him into business in the house of Gail & Ax, of which firm he became a mem- ber January 1, 1888. Mr. Gail was married the 5th of December, 1888, in Richmond, Va., to Helen Christiana Bauch, who was born in Richmond, she being the daughter of Charles Bauch and Olga Von Bucholtz, both born in Germany, and on coming to this country, settling in Richmond, Va., where the family resided up to the decease of Mr. Bauch in the spring of 1897, since which time they have resided in Baltimore with Mr. Gail. Mr. Gail has four children, Helen Maria, George William, Nanny Louisa and Olga Elise. Mr. Gail and his family attend St. Peter's Episcopal Church. In politics he is independent and votes for those he considers the best men and best fitted for the positions they run for.

Mr. Gail is one of our coming young busi- ness men, noted for his high character, both in business and as a citizen, and de- votes his time strictly to his business and the large interests he has under his charge, of the Gail & Ax factory and as assistant manager of the American Tobacco Com- pany. Mr. Gail is a member of the Ger- mania Club of Baltimore City, an active member of the Maryland Bicycle Club,

Maryland Bicycle County Club, the Mer- chants' Club, a director in the Mt. Wash- ington Electric Light and Power Company, and various local organizations. In local affairs Mr. Gail's especial interest has been in the Fire Department and in so far as op- portunity has been afforded he has assisted toward its growth, development and effi- ciency. He resides on the Pimlico Road in the Annex.

HARVEY G. SKINNER, Ship Builder, whose place of business is at the foot of Cross street, is the son of William H. Skin- ner and Martha A. Wilson, and was born in Baltimore December 17, 1858. Both his parents were Americans, their ancestors being among the early settlers of the coun- try; his father was a ship builder and died April 9, 1891; his mother is still living and resides at 1603 Eutaw Place. His father had seven children. Mr. Skinner was edu- cated in the public schools of Baltimore, and quitting school in 1875 he was appren- ticed to William Skinner & Sons, his father's firm, to learn the business, and on the death of his father in 1891, as a partner with his uncle, George W. Skinner, he man- aged and conducted the business of the firm of Win. Skinner & Sons, until in January, 1894, when his uncle died, he succeeded to the business and now carries it on at the old shipyard, foot of Cross street, under the same firm name of Wm. Skinner & Sons that his grandfather, William Skinner, adopted when he first founded the business at that point early in the forties, the business being carried on continuously at the same place and under the same firm name for three generations, by father, grandfather and now by him, for over fifty years, and

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this firm having in these years built some of the finest ships and steamers that have sailed from the port of Baltimore, and being now, as it has been in the past, one of the leading ship building concerns in Balti- more. Mr. Skinner was married in Balti- more, April 7, 1885, his wife being Miss Ger- trude Thompson, daughter of John C. Thompson and Elizabeth C. Price. Both Mrs. Skinner's parents are Americans and came from families of the old settlers of Maryland. He has four children living. He and his family are Protestants and at- tend the Methodist and Episcopal Churches. He is a Mason. Mr. Skinner is a fine busi- ness man and stands high among all people as a man of sterling worth. He and his fam- ily reside at Mt. Washington, Baltimore county.

WINFIELD SCOTT CAHILL, President and Treasurer of the James Clark Company, ma- rine engine and boiler builders and repairers of steamships, and president of the South Baltimore Bank, is the son of the late John and Mary Ann (Gallagher) Cahill, and was born in Baltimore November 2, 1861; both parents were of Irish descent, but born in America. John Cahill, his father, was a ma- rine engine and boiler builder, and president of the James Clark Company. Mr. Cahill, at the death of his father, succeeded him as president of the company. His father had six children, three of whom are living, Mr. Ca- hill, his sister Mary, a Religieuse in the Con- vent at Short Hill, N. J., and Carrie Cahill, who resides at 1124 W. North avenue, Bal- timore. During the Civil War his father served in the United States Navy as acting chief engineer on the steamer Underwriter. Particular mention is made of his gallantry

in assisting at the guns in battle, by Lieu- tenant Commander Jeffers, commanding the steamer, to the Secretary of the Navy, and by the Secretary of the Navy in his re- port in 1862 about the battle. His father and mother are deceased, the former dying in 1896, the latter in 1866. Mr. Cahill was educated in the public schools of Baltimore, St. Charles College, Howard county, Md., and Rock Hill College, Ellicott City, Md. He is also a graduate of Bryant & Stratton's Business College, Baltimore, having gradu- ated therefrom about 1878. After quitting school he served an apprenticeship of two years at marine pattern making; was eight years an apprentice in the machine shops of the James Clark Company and ten years with the same company as time-keeper, book- keeper, treasurer and secretary, until at his father's death in 1896 he became president of the company and is also still its treasurer. Mr.Cahill was married to Sarah Jane, daugh- ter of Geo. W. Voyce, in Baltimore, Septem- ber 26, 1883. Mr. Voyce was a brick manu- facturer, born in this city of Scotch parents; her mother was of German descent; both are deceased. Mr. Cahill has no children. He is liberal in his religious views, having been educated a Catholic, but attends the Methodist Church with his wife. He is a Knight Templar. Mr. Cahill is an active business man standing high in the commu- nity, and besides his positions already men- tioned, he is treasurer of the People's Ma- rine Railway, a director of the Baltimore Dredging Company and manager of large tow boat interests. His place of business is at the south side of the Basin, foot of Web- ster street; his residence is at 204 Warren avenue, Baltimore. Mr. Cahill is one of the promoters of the Blue Ridge Power and

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Electric Railway Company, which is oper- ated on electric road between Pen-Mar and Waynesboro.

GEORGE FREDERICK PATTERSON, of the firm of Patterson, Ramsay & Co., Steamship Agents, was born in Bristol, England, in 1840, his father being a prominent ship builder, who lived in England until his death. Mr. Patterson was educated in pri- vate schools in England and was married in that country in 1864; he came to Baltimore in 1880. He has six children, two of whom reside in South Carolina, one in Norfolk, Va., one in Boston and the other two in Bal- timore. Mr. Patterson and his family are Episcopalians. On coming to Baltimore in 1880 the firm of Patterson, Ramsay & Co. was formed and is now one of the leading firms of that business in the city; their office is in the O'Donnell Building. Mr. Patter- son resides at Mt. Washington, Baltimore county, Md.

ROBERT RAMSAY, member of the firm of Ramsay & Co., Steamship Agents and Brokers, O'Donnell Building, Baltimore, is the son of Robert and Margaret (Winton) Ramsay, of Melbourne, Australia, and was born in Melbourne, August II, 1851. His parents were Scotch, his father being a ship- master of Melbourne until his decease. They had five children, three of whom are liv- ing, David Winton and Mary Sproule, who reside in Melbourne, and Robert, the sub- ject of this sketch, whose mother still lives in Melbourne. Robert Ramsay was edu- cated at the High School and the Athen- aeum, Glasgow, Scotland. After finishing his education he went into the office of Curle & Co., ship-builders, Glasgow, after which

he entered the service of the Allen Line at Liverpool. England, becoming assistant freight manager of their lines. On leaving this company he went to London in the ser- vice of the William, Johnston & Co., limited, of London, and was with them as manager of their lines of steamships for two years, when he left their service, and came, in 1880, to Baltimore, and with Mr. George F. Patterson formed the partnership of Pat- terson, Ramsay & Co., steamship agents and brokers. He was married in England, Au- gust 25, 1881, to Emily Easton Boultbee, whose parents were English. They have three children, Amy Isabel, Margery Win- ton and Dorothy. He and his family are Episcopalians and reside at Mt. Washing- ton, Baltimore county. Mr. Ramsay is a di- rector of the Corn and Flour Exchange, and was elected its president in 1896, and re- elected in 1897, under its new name, the Chamber of Commerce. He is noted as a first-class business man, and is very popular among his business associates. In politics he is a Democrat.

JAMES F. HEYWARD, formerly General Manager of the City and Suburban Rail- way Company, with headquarters at the company's office, Waverly, was born in Wil- mington, Del., March 19, 1856. He comes of old English stock, his ancestors on both sides having been distinguished people in England before any of the family came to this country, as well as being distinguished in the civil and military history of this coun- try

Daniel Heyward, one of the ancestors, emigrated to this country in 1669 and settled in South Carolina, the family being among the earliest settlers of the country,

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participating in the Spanish, French, In- dian and Revolutionary Wars, and distin- guishing themselves and holding high po- sitions in the service of their country; among them was his great-grandfather, Thomas Heyward, Jr., who was a member of the First Continental Congress from South Carolina, also captain of artillery in the War of the Revolution and a signer of the Declaration of Independence; after the Revolution he was Judge of the Court of General Jurisdiction of South Carolina. His father was James E. Hey- ward, a prominent physician, of Wilming- ton, Del., whose father, James Hamilton Heyward, was a planter of South Caro- lina, and died in that State, when his widow, Decima (Schubrich) Heyward, with her children removed to and settled in Wil- mington, Del., where Mr. Heyward's father was reared. His mother was Maria Prest- man, a daughter of the Rev. Stephen Wil- son Prestman, a South Carolinian, who, be- fore going into the ministry, was an ensign in the United States Navy, and distinguished himself in the service of his country in the War of 1812, on Lake Erie, when having command of a number of men he boarded and carried off two British vessels under the guns of Fort Erie, then held by the British. After the war closed Ensign Prestman, Mrs. Heyward's father, though a youth, was re- tained in the service, but resigned his com- mission in the navy, and exhibiting a higher and nobler courage, which he ever after evinced, in the year 1823, enlisted under the standard of the Cross and was admitted to holy orders of the Protestant Episcopal Church, by Bishop Moore, of Virginia. Doctor Heyward, his father, is dead, but his mother is still living and resides with him

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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