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 97
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in this city. His father had four children, three of whom are living: Mr. Heyward, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Decima Tay- lor, wife of Winfield S. Taylor, a prominent member of the Baltimore bar, and W. P. Heyward, all of whom reside in this city.
One notable instance in connection with Mr. Heyward's family, and proving that the blood is not degenerating, is that in the Civil War there were twenty-three Hey- wards relatives of his, who entered the Con- federate Army, many of whom were killed in battle and died in hospitals from wounds received in battle and diseases contracted from exposure in the service. In addition to these, his mother's only brother, Col. S. Wilson Prestman, who was in the engineer corps of the Confederate Army with Beau- regard and Hardee, after serving during the entire struggle, was killed in a railroad acci- dent on his way home from the war. This record of the Heyward family is unprece- dented and unequalled by any family on either the Confederate or Union side during the Civil War. Many of these young Hey- wards were in their teens when they en- tered the service, and some as young as eleven, thirteen and fifteen years of age. Their devotion to a cause which they be- lieved to be right, and offering their for- tunes liberally and lives in behalf of it, dem- onstrates clearly, as I have said, that the Heyward blood has not degenerated, and that these young men "were worthy sons of illustrious sires," and such devotion to a cause in one family, no matter which side was espoused in that contest, is worthy of special mention in this book.
Mr. Heyward was educated in the private schools of Wilmington, for a time attend- ing Rugby Academy, of that place, and for
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a short time attending Sadtler's Business College in this city. He was not permitted, however, to devote much of his younger life to education, but was compelled to start out in life to make a living, and in March, 1874, at the age of eighteen, he entered the service of the Baltimore Hall Springs Pas- senger Railway Company, as clerk at $3.75 per week, serving in this capacity for some years and advancing by degrees until he be- came superintendent of the company. He was with this company for about ten years, when he dissolved his connection with it to take a position with the Equitable Gas Com- pany, of this city, during its construction, as time-keeper and pay-master, and later on when his work was completed here, he ac- cepted similar positions with this company in the construction of their plant in Chi- cago, in 1886; after which he went into the service of the United Gas Improvement Company, of Philadelphia, and was in their service about four years, part of the time stationed at Omaha, Neb., as agent of the Omaha Gas Company, which was owned and operated by the United Gas Improve- ment Company. On severing his connec- tion with this company, he returned to Wil- mington, Del., and accepted a clerical posi- tion with the Repanno Chemical Company, of that city, manufacturers of dynamite; he remained in their service about eight months, when he dissolved his connection with the company and went to Alabama to take charge of the Montgomery Street and Terminal Railway Company as superintend- ent, with headquarters in Montgomery, which company he managed for a time, when he resigned his position and went to New York to reside and accept a position as assistant secretary of the Anaconda Min-
ing Company, of that city, remaining in New York awhile in the service of this com- pany ; he severed his connection with it and returned to Baltimore to reside, where he was appointed purchasing agent for the Union Passenger Railroad Company, which position he held until about five years since, when he resigned and was appointed gen- eral manager of the City and Suburban Railway of this city, which position he held until June 17, 1897, when the City and Suburban Railway Company consolidated with the Baltimore Traction Company, under the name of the Baltimore Consoli- dated Railway Company, when he was promoted to the high and important position as secretary of the Consolidated Company. Thus it will be seen, after starting in life as a clerk with the small salary of $3.75 per week, and the varied and important positions he has since held, and the number of places at which he has operated, he is back to his first love, the business of street railways, and back to the city in which he started life twenty-three years ago, but he has been going forward all the time, and under his management for the last five years, and mostly by his ability, energy and push, the City and Suburban Railway Company had grown to be one of the best regulated and best paying of the kind in the city; and now that it has been consolidated with the Baltimore Traction Company, and Mr. Heyward is retained in the service of the consolidation, with his abilities and experience as a railway man, the new company must grow as did the City and Suburban under his management, as he is considered and looked upon by railway officials and people interested in the pro- gress of street railway business, as a coming
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man in this business, and as one of the most efficient street railway officers in this city. He is pleasant and affable in his intercourse with the people, and popular with the public and the hundreds of men he has had under him in the service of his company and all like him.
He is not married; is a Protestant and at- tends the Episcopal Church. He resides with his mother, brother and Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, his sister, at the corner of Thirtieth and St. Paul streets.
HENRY KEIDEL, of Henry Keidel & Co., Importers and Manufacturers' Representa- tives of Hardware and Cutlery, with place of business at 32 Hopkins Place, is an illus- tration of the self-made man and what can be done by diligent application to business and hard work.
Mr. Keidel commenced business in 1866 as a member of the firm of Moritz & Keidel, their business being hardware and cutlery. Their beginning, on account of limited means, was very small, they being able to occupy only half of the second floor of No. 33 S. Charles street. Being determined to succeed, they worked hard-late and early, and their business increasing they removed to larger quarters, No. 10 S. Charles street, also occupying No. 8. Still growing, they moved to Nos. 8 and 10 W. German street, where they were later compelled to vacate on account of increasing business, and re- moved to No. 25 Hanover street, and finally they took the large and commodious ware- house they now occupy, No. 32 Hopkins Place. Mr. Moritz died in 1886 and Mr. Keidel continued the business under the firm name of Henry Keidel & Co.
Mr. Keidel is very Democratic in his
ways, and success in life has not spoiled him as it does many; he is plain and unassum- ing and the humblest person can approach him and always receive a kind and polite hearing.
He and his family reside at Catonsville, Baltimore county, Md.
FRANCIS X. GANTER, Manufacturer of Show Cases, Bar Fixtures, Billiard and Pool Tables, Bank, Store and Office Fix- tures, whose place of business is 9,, II and 13 W. Pratt street, was born December 25, 1849, at Freiburg, Briesgau, Baden, Ger- many, and is the son of Peter Ganter and Christina Georgii, whose home was at Frie- burg until they came to this country and set- tled in 1872.
In Frieburg his father caried on the cabi- net and glacier making business, having a large establishment and doing an extensive business. He had two children, a daughter, now deceased, and Mr. Ganter, the subject of this sketch. His father died in this city in 1888 and his mother is still living and re- sides with him in this city.
Mr. Ganter came to this country in 1870, two years before his parents. He located in Baltimore and in 1876 began business for himself in a small way on Hanover street, at that time confining his operations to man- ufacturing show cases mainly, but by extra- ordinary energy and enterprise, also by adding the different branches of industry to his business, enlarged his workings from time to time, and to-day in the extent of his operations and the reputation of his pro- ductions, he stands without a peer in his line in the United States.
His main factory is a spacious building, and by his recent purchase at the Wilkins
4
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Tobacco Factory adjoining, he still further increased its size, both buildings covering a working space of 86,000 square feet, and this factory, built acording to the ideas and under the supervision of Mr. Ganter him- self, is regarded as better equipped in his line of business, for manufacturing first- class goods, than any factory in the country. Besides paying the strictest attention to the management of his large business, the mi- nutest details of which he understands and looks after as well as the larger ones, Mr. Ganter also is constantly studying out new ideas in connection with his business. He is the sole inventor and patentee of twenty- four inventions, some of which are exclu- sively by himself in his factory, thus en- abling him by his genius to manufacture goods not in the power of other concerns to produce. Mr. Ganter, besides his business here, has branches at 351 Canal street, New York: 40 N. Fourth street, Philadelphia, and 446 Pennsylvania avenue, N. W., Wash- ington, D. C., and altogether furnishes the greatest number of cases used in the North, East and South, also doing a large export business to all civilized countries of the world through his New York house.
Mr. Ganter is married and has four chil- dren, Charles F. W. and Arthur Ganter, who are in the service of their father at his factory; Josephine, and Mrs. Victoria Jose- phine Ulrich, wife of Mr. Henry A. Ulrich, of the Baltimore bar. Mr. Ganter and family are Protestants; he is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is a plain, unassuming man, pleasant in manner and of a kindly disposition. He has many friends, and in business circles stands high for honor and honesty. He and his family re- side at 632 N. Gilmor street, Baltimore.
ROGER WILLIAM BARRON, Produce Mer- chant, whose place of business is 17 W. Pratt street, is a son of the late John Barron and Eleanor (Oremm) Barron and was born in Baltimore, May 3, 1851. His father was of Irish and Welsh descent and born March 25, 1820, in Springfield, Mass .; his mother was born in Baltimore, Md., and was of Irish descent. Both his parents belonged to families who came to this country in the early days. His father for many years fol- lowed huckstering and marketing in Balti- more from early manhood up to the time of his death. During the Civil War he was an uncompromising Union man and a Repub- lican in politics; in the sixties served two terms in the Legislature as a representative from Baltimore, and several terms in the First and Second Branches of the City Council of Baltimore; was a close friend of John Lee Chapman, Mayor of Baltimore, in the early sixties. His father had five chil- dren: Mary E., wife of Robert Wellslager; Clara Virginia Putts, wife of Thomas Putts; Eleanor, John Barron, and the subject of this sketch, all residents of Baltimore. His parents are now dead, his father dying in 1879 and his mother in 1886. Mr. Barron was educated in the public schools of Balti- more and at the age of fifteen he had to quit school and go to work. He followed in the steps of his father, and young as he was, commenced the business of a huckster in the markets of Baltimore, which business he continued for some time, and by push and energy made a success of it, prospered and when he went into his present business as a produce merchant, as a partner in the firm of Stewart & Barron, this being the pioneer in that kind of business in Baltimore; in 1884 they dissolved partnership, Mr. Bar-
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ron succeeding to and carrying on the busi- ness himself at the stand 105 W. Pratt street until 1891, when he purchased the ground and built his present commodious ware- house at 17 W. Pratt street, where he con- tinues to do business; he has also a branch store at 117 W. Pratt street, where he also does a large business which extends to Vir- ginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and throughout Maryland, to all of which States he ships large quantities of fruit and pro- duce, his house being one of the leading houses in this business in the city and doing the largest business. As will be seen, Mr. Barron started the world when a boy of fif- teen, and his success in life and present po- sition are due to his untiring energy and up- right dealing. Among his business asso- ciates and the public generally no one stands higher than Mr. Barron. In politics he is a Republican; is a member of the Elks and a Knight Templar. He is married and has two children, Lizzie S. and Edna E. Barron. He and his family attend Grace Methodist Episcopal Church and reside at 1042 Edmondson avenue, corner of Arling- ton. Mr. Barron is one of the Board of Di- rectors of the South Baltimore Bank.
JONATHAN KIRKBRIDGE TAYLOR, Gen- eral Agent Provident Life and Trust Com- pany, of Philadelphia, whose place of busi- ness is in the Fidelity Building, Charles and Lexington streets, this city, was born in Loudoun county, Va., September 3, 1838. He is a son of the late Jonathan and Lydia (Brown) Taylor, who were also born in Loudon county, the former in 1797, the lat- ter in 1803. Both parents were of English descent, their ancestors having been among the earliest settlers of Pennsylvania and re-
moving thence to Virginia. Jonathan Tay- lor, Sr., was in early manhood a teacher and in later life and up to the time of his decease (1846) a prominent farmer of Virginia. His wife died in 1878. Their children were eight in number, four sons and four daughters, viz: William H. Taylor, B. Fenelon Tay- lor (both farmers), Caroline Taylor and L. Alice Pancoast, who reside in Loudon county, Va .; Hannah B. Stabler, Montgom- ery county, Md., and the subject of this sketch. Of the deceased children, T. Clark- son Taylor was a prominent educator, of Wilmington, Del, and was an eminent min- ister of the Society of Friends, and Susan- na C. Taylor was a teacher in Loudon county, Va. Jonathan K. Taylor completed his education at Allen's Normal School, West Chester, Pa., in 1861, and then fol- lowed in the footsteps of his father by adopt- ing the profession of an educator, establish- ing the Chester Valley Academy at Coates- ville, Pa., of which he was principal and pro- prietor. He was one of the most successful teachers Coatesville ever had and many young men look back with pride and pleas- ure upon their course of instruction under him. Chester Valley Academy was started with one boarder and ten day scholars. Six years later, when the academy was closed by Mr. Taylor because of very serious weak- ness of sight from over-taxation, there were enrolled 125 students, representing seven States. The excellent reputation of this in- stitution was widespread and for many years after it had been closed strangers inquired after Chester Valley Academy. For two years subsequent to closing his Coatesville school Mr. Taylor engaged in mercantile pursuits at Hamilton, Loudon county, Va. Then being wedded to his vocation as an
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educator he established Loudon Valley Academy for the education of both sexes, he being proprietor and principal. Under his management a flourishing school was soon built up and in the latter years of his con- nection therewith he added to it the normal idea for the training of teachers and it was thereafter known as the Virginia Normal Institute. He remained as principal of this school until 1873, when the call to a wider sphere in which to employ his splendid ability as a teacher came through his pur- chase in the latter part of that year of the old Taylor and Jackson Academy building, Eighth and Wollaston streets, Wilmington, Del., an institution of learning that had been established by his brother, the late T. Clark- son Taylor. The building was materially improved by Mr. Taylor and he established therein a school of high grade for both sexes, which was called the Taylor Acad- emy. The first session of this institution began September 7, 1874, and it eventually became one of the most popular and suc- cessful schools of its kind in Delaware, the reputation of its principal as an educator at Coatesville and Hamilton having preceded him and assured the success of his school from its inception. While engaged here Mr. Taylor met with a disability which destroyed all his hopes, ambitions and plans as an edu- cator. His eyesight became so seriously impaired that his retirement from the pro- fession of teaching was enforced and he sold his school property to the city of Wilming- ton. Being a man of indomitable will, in- defatigable energy and untiring industry, Mr. Taylor could not and did not remain long idle. On January 1, 1878, he became a special agent of the Provident Life and
Trust Company, of Philadelphia, at Wil- mington, Del., where a great business suc- cess attended his efforts. November 6, 1879, Mr. Taylor, in partnership association with Mr. E. H. Walker, opened an office on German street near South, this city, as gen- eral agents of the Provident Life and Trust Company, of Philadelphia, and on the com- pletion of the Fidelity Building May I, 1894, moved to their suite of rooms on the second floor of that structure. The firm has offices also in the Atlantic Building, Wash- ington, D. C., and Wilmington, Del., and have over $12,000,000 of life insurance in force. Mr. Taylor was married July 15, 1863, to Emma L., daughter of the late Jo- seph and Mary (Cloud) Pyle, residents of Chester county, Pa., of English ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Society of Friends, of which Mr. Taylor is chairman of the Board of Trustees; of the School Committee; Historical Committee, and First Day School Committee. In addi- tion to his business connection as above Mr. Taylor is vice-president of the Guar- dian Security, Trust and Deposit. Com- pany, of Baltimore. Mr. Taylor has never held office other than the postmastership at Hamilton, Va., during two administra- tions. During the war he was an uncon- ditional Union man and was nominated by the Republican party for the State Senate at the first election following the surrender of Lee. The campaign was an extremely lively one, Mr. Taylor canvassing five or six counties (the then district) in a joint debate in opposition to Edgar A. Snowden and Thomas E. Taylor. He was defeated by a few hundred votes, running far ahead of his ticket. Mr. Taylor has been a popular lec-
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turer on the natural sciences, his travels in Europe and this country and on temper- ance. For a number of years he was a mem- ber of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia. Mr. Taylor is a most zealous advocate of the cause of temperance. He is vice-president of the Maryland State Temperance Alliance and a most valued and valuable member of that organization as witness the following extract from the annual report of President Henry Branch, D. D., to the Convention held in Baltimore May 26, 27 and 28, 1896:
"The purchase of permanent headquar- ters, itself the dream of a vivid imagination, became the settled purpose of one of the most untiring, as he is one of the most in- telligent of our consecrated workers, and the story will be told to you by the man whose clear head and generous heart have heretofore so largely shaped the destiny of this body and whose loyalty with unswerv- ing devotion, has been a tower of defense to this cause. For wisdom in counsel, skill in management, and patient continuance in well doing Prof. J. K. Taylor excites our highest admiration and should receive our most grateful recognition."
Rev. W. G. Herbert in his annual report to the same convention paid the following tribute to Mr. Taylor:
"To my friend, and the friend of every man and cause that has merit, whose life of unostentatious benevolence has blessed, and shall ever bless the world, in whose fer- tile brain was born the thought of a per- manent place where the work of the Alli- ance might be carried on, and who in the midst of bodily suffering still thought, and prayed, and gave of his means, and by dint of personal effort, has made that conception
a glorious reality, to Prof. Jonathan K. Tay- lor, I make my bow of appreciation."
ALEXANDER M. BRISCOE, Conveyancer and Builder, whose office is at II East Fay- ette street, was born in Charlestown, Jeffer- son county, Va., (now West Virginia) on the 16th of May, 1843. He is a son of John Thomas Briscoe and Henrietta E. Little. His father was born in Fairfax county, Va., and his mother in Harper's Ferry, Jefferson county, Va. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Virginia, having emigrated from Crofton Hall, Cumberland county, England, in the year 1722. The family coat of arms is: Arms argent, three greyhounds, current in pale sable, crest greyhound cur- rent sable seizing a hare. Crofton Hall, County Cumberland, England.
His father was a farmer and stock raiser and died at Little River, Kansas, in 1895, and his mother died in Baltimore in April, 1882.
Mr. Briscoe was educated in the public schools of Baltimore, but did not have much opportunity for an education in his early days, as at the age of nine years he started life selling pop-corn; at twelve years of age he went to Kent county, Md., to learn farm- ing. He returned to Baltimore after a year and began to learn the trade of carpenter- ing, and in 1861 started in this business for himself on Paca near Lexington street, and carried on this business until 1863, when he enlisted as a private in the Union Army, Company F, First Regiment, Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Cavalry, known as Cole's cavalry. From private he was promoted to quartermaster sergeant, then to second lieutenant, Company I, same regi- ment, then to first lieutenant, same com-
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pany and regiment. He was in most of the battles fought by this cavalry, and was noted for his bravery and gallantry. In a fight at Hagerstown, Md., July 29, 1864, he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Confederates and imprisoned at Columbia, S. C., until February, 1865, when he made his escape from prison, worked his way suc- cessfully through the South and the Con- federate lines, and returned to Maryland. He then rejoined his regiment in Virginia and served with it until the war closed and they were mustered out of service. After the war he worked at his trade as carpenter in Baltimore for one year, when he was ap- pointed letter-carrier in the Baltimore post- office, and was in that service three years. In 1870 he was appointed enrolling officer of the Maryland Militia; was register of voters during 1872-73; was appointed justice of the peace for Baltimore in 1875 and occupied that position until May, 1880, when he com- menced the business he is now in, that of conveyancer and builder. He was clerk of the First Branch of the Baltimore City Council in 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893 and 1894.
Mr. Briscoe has been married twice; first on May 22, 1865, to Christiana' S. Barth, and after his decease was, on May 14, 1868, married to Alvira Toland. He has four children: Charles A. Briscoe, attorney-at- law; Fenton H. Briscoe, traveling advance theatrical agent; Henrietta E. and Alexena McLane Briscoe. All reside with him at his home, 734 W. Hamburg street, Balti- more, except the eldest, who is married and lives at 2316 Ruskin avenue. He and his family are Episcopalians. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, also of Gem Conclave, No. 3, Heptasophs, and of
American Flag Council, Jr. O. U. A. M., No. 90. In politics he is a Democrat and takes quite an active part in party matters. He was secretary of the first Democratic or- ganization in 1867. He always engages in a campaign when it takes place-making speeches and working hard for the success of his party. Mr. Briscoe is a genial and pleasant gentleman, stands well in the com- munity and has hosts of friends.
CHARLES E. BAKER, of Baker Bros., Manufacturers of Glass, 26 and 38 S. Charles street, is a son of Charles J. Baker and Eliz- abeth (Basserman) Baker, and was born in Baltimore, February 5, 1845. His father and mother were both of German descent, their ancestors coming to this country from Germany in the early days of the settlement of the country. His father, Charles J. Baker was a glass manufacturer and banker, one of the most prominent and well-known busi- ness men of his day in Baltimore, and iden- tified with large business enterprises of various kinds, and a successful man in everything he engaged in. He had nine children, eight of whom are living, William, Jr., George B., president of the Third Na- tional Bank; Bernard N., Richard J., Frank M., Ashby Lee Baker, who resides in Ral- eigh, N. C., and is a cotton manufacturer, and Mrs. Mary H. Bradenbaugh, wife of Rev. A. E. Bradenbaugh, and the subject of this sketch; all reside in Baltimore except Ashby Lee. Mr. Baker's father and mother are deceased. Mr. Baker was educated in the private schools of Baltimore, but quit school at thirteen years of age, when he went into the service of the firm of Baker Bros., glass manufacturers, working for one dollar a week. This firm was founded in
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