USA > Maryland > Men of mark in Maryland Johnson's makers of America series biographies of leading men of the state, Volume III > Part 13
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The Gunby coat of arms is a blue lion rampant on a silver shield.
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JOHN GEORGE MOHLHENRICH
GEORGE MOHLHENRICH, of Baltimore, president of the Reliable Furniture Manufacturing Company, of Baltimore; I J. · president of the Wisconsin Manufacturing Company, of Neillsville, Wisconsin; a director of several industrial corporations, and a business leader of Baltimore, was born in that city on March 25, 1865, son of John and Gretchen Mohlhenrich.
His father was a blacksmith by trade, a thrifty and industrious man, a good citizen and a believer in democratic institutions. He came from Hesse Cassel, Germany, in 1849, just after the revolu- tionary troubles of 1848-1849, and settled in Baltimore. His wife, also a native of Germany, born in Hanover, came over in 1850.
Young Mohlhenrich, after attendance upon the schools up to the age of thirteen, was compelled at that period of life to enter a furniture factory, doing such work as a boy of that age could, in order to help out in the making of a living. That the boy had good stuff in him, was shown by the fact that he did not give up his efforts to obtain an education, but studied in night schools and spent his leisure evenings in the Peabody Library. This studious habit has remained - with him through life; and now in the prime of life, he is not only a · business leader, but a well informed man and a citizen of high ideals.
On June 2, 1897, Mr. Mohlhenrich married Marie Griesman, and of this marriage there are four children.
His business career may be briefly summed up. He has remained persistently in that business which he entered as a boy more than thirty years ago. He has given to it industry, energy, capacity and integrity. His measure of success has been large.
But Mr. Mohlhenrich is something more than a mere maker of money. He is an American citizen, with ideals that not only do him credit, but with ideals which ought to have general acceptance through- out the country; and this can be best illustrated by what newspaper men call a story. In the campaign of 1900, the so-called "Honest Money Democratic League" of Baltimore undertook measures that revolted Mr. Mohlhenrich's sense of fair play and justice. This
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League brought to bear upon the employers of labor arguments to induce them to force their employees into line with the views of the League. Finally, they set a day for a great parade, and circular letters were sent out to the large employers asking them to have their men in line. It was calmly assumed that the views of the men were of no importance whatever, and that it was simply a matter for the employers to instruct them to enter the parade. Mr. Mohlhenrich's company received the usual invitation, and it was shown that quite a number of employers had promptly accepted the invitation. The cotton duck trust, the tobacco trust, the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road, the South Baltimore Car Works, the Maryland Steel Company, and other large employers, agreed to have their men in line. Mr. Mohlenrich received under date of October 31, 1900, the usual letter sent to the other employers. He replied with a letter which was as effective as a two thousand pound shell in warfare. As he says himself, the letter was not written from any partisan standpoint, and would have been sent to the opposite party committee if their actions had called for it. It was the assertion of independence on the part of an American citizen, and the further assertion that his em- ployees had a right to their opinions, and that no man could dictate to them. As the best possible exposition of the character of J. George Mohlhenrich, the letter here appears in full: and this letter will explain why he enjoys the standing he does in the city of Balti- more:
"Baltimore, November 1, 1900.
THE HONEST MONEY DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE:
Gentlemen :- Yours of the 31st ultimo in which you express a desire to borrow our employees for next Saturday afternoon for the purpose of having them march in a political procession, was received.
We fear that it will be impossible for us to grant your modest and reasonable request, because our employees believe in very strange doctrines; for instance:
They believe that employees have the right to vote according to their convictions; that it is an evidence of exceedingly bad taste on the part of employers to give, unasked, advice or make sugges- tions as to how their employees should vote, or what political meetings they should attend; that political bribery is a crime; and other anti- quated doctrines, the fallacies of which have long since been demon-
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strated by so eminent an authority on modern political ethics as Mr. C -.
If, therefore, we were to ask our employees to march in the procession, they would perhaps have the effrontery to ask under what colors they are expected to march, as though it should make any difference to them whether they march under the colors of one party . or the other.
And after that question was answered, some of them might even venture to tell us such irrelevant stories as: "The Hebrew manu- facturer who ordered his Gentile employees to march to his syna- gogue on a certain day to be circumcised," and "the Catholic manu- facturer who 'requested' his Protestant employees to march in a body to his church, and sprinkle themselves with holy water," and after they have told us these stories they would leave us to guess at their application.
If you find on Saturday that you are still short of men, we would suggest that you send someone to Marsh Market Space, which is not far from this factory, and there you will find some gentlemen who are not so oversensitive as our men. They will march in a procession without asking any impertinent questions about the colors and they may even go a step further, and vote for any candidate which the Honest League may designate, if by so doing they could make an honest dollar. Respectfully yours,
THE RELIABLE FURNITURE MFG. CO.
J. George Mohlhenrich, President.
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Yours Only
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HENRY JACKSON WATERS
T HE WATERS family of Virginia and Maryland has a long and! honorable record. It was founded by Lieutenant Elwart Waters who came from England and settled in Virera about 1622. From that time down to the present generation. !! has been well represented in every period of our country's history in that section of the Republic. In the Revolutionary War. the records show that on May 27, 1779, Richard Waters was cold !!.... sioned a Lieutenant in the First Maryland Regiment. This was che of the most famous regiments in that great struggle, and made an immortal reputation in Greene's Southern campaigns. This Richard Waters was a lineal descendant of the old immigrant lieutenant and belongs to the ancestral line of Henry J. Waters of Prince- Anac The present great financier, General Francis E. Waters, of Baltattder, also belongs to this line, and the family record appears in consideral.c detail in the biography of General Waters which appears in Volume II of this work.
Henry J. Waters, president of the Peoples Bank of Sorc !! County, was born near Princess Anne on September 19, INts. 4. Honorable Levin Littleton and Lucretia (Jones) Water -. H. father was a lawyer by profession, a leader in the Democratic party of that section, and served in the State Senate of Maryland as vary as 1861 and as late as 1895. He was a man who took a profound interest in public affairs; of much force of character: of theman: rigid integrity; and in addition to his senatorial service. served to county as circuit clerk from 1868 to 1876. In Mr. Water ' maternal line there looms up the figure of General Arnold Elzey, a West Poca graduate and colonel in the old United States army, who came the Confederate cause in the Warbetween the States, and served with credit as a general in the Confederate armies until the end of the war.
In the present generation Mr. Arnold Elzey Waters, of the bank- ing house of T. Scott and Son, of Baltimore, Maryland, is a brother of Mr Waters.
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HENRY JACKSON WATERS
Henry J. Waters was a healthy youngster, with a natural inclina- tion to the law from his early boyhood. He had a partiality to history and biography, a taste which has never left him up to the present. His educational training was good. He attended the Washington Academy in Princess Anne, the Episcopal High School of Virginia, and then took a law course in the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1892. During the time Mr. Waters was taking the law course in the University of Pennsylvania he was also a law student in the office of that famous Philadelphia lawyer, George W. Biddle. He was admitted to the bar and entered upon the practice of his profession in association with his father. Outside of the usual experience of long practicing lawyers, Mr. Waters has had one very unusual experience: He was appointed district attorney in the year he was admitted to the bar. This was a very unusual compliment to a very young lawyer, but that he sustained himself is proven by the fact that he was subsequently reelected at successive elections until his full measure of service had extended over ten years. That he is a man of unusual force as a lawyer may be judged from this incident. A young man just coming to the bar, appointed prosecuting attorney, a position in which he must inevitably meet old and veteran lawyers, and upholding the State's end of the case against the best of the bar, and yet to hold that position against all comers for the long term of ten years, argues unusual ability.
Politically, Mr. Waters has never swerved from the faith of his fathers, and is a Democrat of the old breed-Jeffersonian-if you will. He is affiliated with the Masonic Order, in which he has held office of Master. Religiously, he is a communicant of the Episcopal Church. His recreation is found in an occasional shooting expedition. He is a strong believer in the strenuous life-he has no patience or toleration for loafing or idleness. He believes everyone should be alert, seize upon opportunity, and be faithful in the execution of the work intrusted to him. The history of this family shows it had an unusual number of what might be termed "effective" men, and Mr. Waters inherits the family trait in full measure.
On November 16, 1899, Mr. Waters was married to Miss Emily B. Wilson, daughter of the late Dr. Henry P. C. Wilson, of Baltimore, Maryland. They have three children: Henry J. Waters, junior, Park Custis Wilson Waters, and Emily Wilson Waters.
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yours Nuly. Tras &Charshe's
THOMAS AMOS CHARSHEE
T HOMAS A. CHARSHEE, head of the wholesale and commis- sion lumber firm of Thomas A. Charshee and Brother of Baltimore, is a native of Maryland; born in Havre de Grace on December 25, 1853; son of Bennett and Catherine Virginia Char- shee. His father, Bennett Charshee, was also a lumberman con- nected with John DuBois, a prominent lumberman of Pennsylvania for forty-five years. The elder Charshee served a number of terms as president of the city council of Havre de Grace and as chairman of its street committee. On April 18, 1870, he was appointed by Governor Oden Bowie inspector of lumber at Havre de Grace, which evidences the fact that he was recognized in the lumber trade as a man of the highest integrity.
The Charshee family is of Huguenot origin, and was founded by a religious refugee from France who came to America and ma.ried Annie Fletcher, of English origin. This brought into the family an English strain, but this was not all. Mr. Charshee's mother was on her maternal side of Scotch origin, being descended from the Offutts of Montgomery County; and there was a German strain of blood in the family coming through the Sutors and Shaffers through John Nicol Sutor, born in Germany in 1774, who came to this country and married Mary Shaffer, born in Pennsylvania in 1778, their de- scendants settling in Maryland. Adam Shaffer. father of Mary, was a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. Charshee therefore combines French, English, Scotch and German blood, and is a typical American by reason of this composite blood. The Offutt family of Montgomery County goes back to the first settlers of that county, for we find that in 1717 William Offutt had surveyed for his own account a tract of land which he called "Younger Brother's Portion," consisting of six hundred acres west of Watts' Branch. Evidently William was a believer in the land, for on July 17, 1728, he had surveyed another tract of two thousand acres which he called "Clever Wold," and on April 4, 1729, another tract called "Bear Den" of two hundred acres,-this last named tract being at the falls of the Potomac. In
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1777, James Offutt was a member of the county court of Montgomery County at the same time George Offutt was on the grand jury, and Zachariah was on the petit jury. The will of Nathaniel Offutt appears of probate on May 2, 1777; and Alexander married Anne Lowe on February 21, 1798. Baruch Offutt married Nirlinda Offutt on Febru- ary 25, 1799. Among the county commissioners of Montgomery County may be noted Ozias Offutt in 1803-4; James Offutt 1845; and William H. Offutt, 1856 to 1861. These Offutts appear to have been settled in the Great Falls District of Montgomery County chiefly, and Offutts' Cross Roads perpetuates their name to this day. In their history appears one rather curious incident. About 1750 the General Assembly of Maryland decided in view of the need of an increase in population, to tax persistent and confirmed bachelors; so we find that in 1756 William Offutt (III) was taxed. William evidently did not relish this, for he does not appear on the list for next year. Zach- arias also was taxed for 1756, but was more determined, because he held out until 1762, paying his tax every year. Then he succumbed to the inevitable. Thomas came under tax in 1757, and he lasted until 1761. In 1758, Nathaniel and William Offutt appeared as members of une Episcopal parish in Montgomery County and signers of a petition to divide the parish. Leonard Shaffer appears in the early history of Montgomery County, and John Sutor. The maternal great grandfather of Mr. Charshee, Thomas Cook, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was on service in Washington when that city was captured by the British. Thomas Cook married Serena Offutt, of Montgomery County, Md.
Mr. Charshee's descent therefore is derived from steady-going, patriotic, God-fearing people. He was reared in a village; attended school in winter and worked in summer. His education was mostly obtained in private schools. He fairly grew up in the lumber busi- ness, first as an office boy and tally boy, and then as a in- spector in charge of the shipping department under his father; and by the time he had arrived at manhood had a thorough knowledge of the lumber business. His mother had looked faithfully after his moral training, and arriving at manhood he could say what few men could: he had never read a novel. His reading through life has been mainly along biographical lines, supplemented by magazines and periodicals.
His working life goes back to 1866 when he was a boy of twelve.
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He formed early the determination to conquer circumstances, and fit to remain "a hewer of wood and a drawer of water." His reading of biography gave him an insight in men, and his contact with men m active life gave him a further insight. He looked out for the strong points in the strong men whom he encountered, and endeavored to turn this information to advantage in his own life. His entire ini- ness career has been connected with the lumber business. Fourteen years he spent in the service of John DuBois of Havre de Grace, w !!!; whom his father was connected for forty-five years. He then made a connection with the Greenleaf-Johnson Lumber Company of Bali- more as salesman. Fourteen years were spent in their service; two years with Willson and Charshee; and now for twelve years he i.a. been head of the successful lumber firm of Thomas A. Charsher and Brother. Mr. Charshee was fortunate in his various connection. The late John DuBois was known as "the lumber king of Penn- sylvania." His experience there qualified him for the important position which he held in the Greenleaf-Johnson Lumber Company, rising from salesman to being the confidential adviser of Mr. John w. who was one of the veterans of the business. This long experience tas made him one of the most expert judges of lumber in the country. and in his ability to size up the value and quality of a tract of toute ? he has but few equals. From 1895 to 1898, he was junior member of the firm of Willson and Charshee and in 1SOS formed the firmof Thomas A. Charshee and Brother, of which his younger brother: John E. Charshee is the junior member. Later on, Arthur V. Char-1.ce elder son of Mr. Thomas A. Charshee, was admitted to an interest The history of this firm since its organization has been one of con- tinuous success. Thomas A. Charshee has a very wide acquaintance with the lumber trade of the South, East and North. His firm i connected with the local Board of Trade; the New York Lumter Association, and the National Hardwood Association. They are sole owners of the Hyde and Tyrrel Lumber Company of North Carolina; own extensive timber lands in Virginia and North Carolina; and own and operate their own vessels in the shipping of lumiar. They are manufacturers, as well as wholesale and commission deale :s in pine and hard woods, being also large contractors for railroad ties.
Mr. Charshee combines the qualities of enterprise and gemamne conservatism in exactly the right proportions. He is not wedded to
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antiquated methods on the one hand, but on the other hand he does not venture rashly.
Mr. Charshee's church affiliation is with the Episcopal Church; and as many of his ancestors were connected with that church he may be fairly said to have inherited his church relationship. He holds membership in the Masonic order, the Royal Arcanum, and the order of the Heptasophs. His favorite recreation is horse-back riding. His political affiliation is with the Democratic party, but he broke through the traces one time to vote for President Taft.
In addition to other Societies mentioned he is an active member of the Peabody Heights Improvement Association.
Mr. Charshee believes in hard work; that a business man should get up early and put in at least ten hours of hard work a day, remem- bering as Joe Cannon says, that "hard work don't kill. Idleness and over-feeding does."
On September 27, 1877, Mr. Charshee was married to Miss Annie M. Mattingley. They have three sons: Arthur V .; Thomas Bennett, and Frank M. Charshee all three of whom are active young business men.
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ES Adkins
ELIJAH STANTON ADKINS
E LIJAH S. ADKINS of Salisbury, head of one of the largest manufacturing plants on the Peninsula, was born near Pitts- ville in Wicomico County in June, 1849; son of Stanton and Elizabeth (Parsons) Adkins.
Adkins is an old English name, the family having been known in Great Britain for centuries, and has been identified with the Eastern Shore in that part of it which now constitutes the State of Delaware, for many generations. Both of his parents were born in Delaware. On the maternal side, the Parsons family is also of English stock. On the Adkins side of the family, there is a strain of Scotch blood.
Mr. Adkins was reared on his father's farm; and having a wise father, he was made to work, the benefits of which yet abide with him. He was educated in the Wicomico County schools, and even as a boy developed business tastes, the lumber manufacturing busi- ness having a special attraction for him. Arriving at manhood, he followed farming for a few years, and finally in 1876 engaged in the lumber manufacturing business at Powellville on a small scale, from which place he moved to Salisbury in 1893. A look at the vast plant of today, covering as it does seven acres of ground, twelve large build- ings, all connected by sidetracks with the two railroads which run in there, is the most eloquent testimony to the business ability of the founder of this great business who, thirty-four years ago, started in life with his little plant and good courage. It would be difficult to find anywhere a more pefectly planned or better conducted business than this great enterprise, which now uses up more than ten million feet of lumber every year. The company owns and operates its own sawmills in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. The rough lumber is brought from these mills to the Salisbury plant; there it is sorted out and diverted to that department it is suited for, and worked up into the finished product.
In 1895, Mr. Adkins took in as a partner Mr. Charles R. Disha- roon. In 1902 the Company was incorporated with Mr. Adkins as
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ELIJAH STANTON ADKINS
president; Mr. Disharoon as treasurer; and F. P. Adkins as secretary. In 1907, Mr. Disharoon retired. Mr. Adkins retained the presidency F. P. Adkins became treasurer; E. D. Adkins manager; and J. W. Humphreys secretary. Mr. Adkins' success has been so great that, though not an old man, he can now take some measure of ease, know- ing that his large interests are being ably administered by his sons and their co-laborers.
Identified with the Republican party, he was during President McKinley's administration appointed postmaster of Salisbury and served his term with credit to himself and with satisfaction to the people of the city.
On January 19, 1876, Mr. Adkins was married to Miss Hennie Francis Tilghman, daughter of Samuel A. T. Tilghman of Wicomico County. The seven children born to them have all been reared and, constitute a family in which any man might take pride.
Mr. Adkins is a steward in the Methodist Protestant Church. He is an enthusiastic Mason, having taken the Knight Templar degree in that order. He is also affiliated with the Odd Fellows. He is partial to automobiling as a means of recreation.
An unassuming man, he has lived to see the plans of his earlier life worked out to a very great measure of success, and in doing so has contributed much to his native county by creating a great industry which gives profitable employment to many hundreds of people.
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Your Very July Oliver beHagerty -
OLIVER PARKER HAGERTY
A FTER the most reckless waste of natural resources ever seen in the history of the world, the American people are beginning to realize that an earnest effort must be made to conserve what they have left; and as a first step in this direction all over the country, intelligent men are doing their utmost to bring about an improved agriculture. One of these men who is doing his share in this direction is Oliver Parker Hagerty of Port Deposit, who on his estate near that city known as "Paradise Farm," has not only made a beautiful home, but has shown by careful cultivation and the most scientific methods what may be done in the way of improving Maryland lands.
Mr. Hagerty is a native of Maryland, born in Baltimore on February 10, 1870; son of James Summerfield and Emily Jane (Smiley) Hagerty. His father, James S. Hagerty, was at the time of his death, head of the Keen and Hagerty Manufacturing Company, who were leaders in the sheet metal industry in Baltimore, the busi- ness having been founded by George V. Keen and James S. Hagerty as far back as 1846. James S. Hagerty was not only a prominent figure in business circles, but was also a public-spirited citizen and most active in religious circles. During his life he at one time served as president of the Citizens' Railway Company, which was later absorbed by the United Railways and Electric Company. His standing in the community may be best illustrated by the resolutions passed by his colleagues in the metal trade, which are here given just as adopted after his death:
" The trade will learn with regret of the passing away of one of the veterans in the business in the person of James S. Hagerty, president of the Keen and Hagerty Manufacturing Company, which took place on the 9th instant at his late residence, 1111 West Lanvale Street, Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Hagerty leaves a widow and four sons James R .; George V .; Summerfield and Oliver P. This leader in the sheet metal world was born in Baltimore sixty-eight years ago and early in life formed a partnership with the late George V. Keen. As far back as 1846 this was a thriving firm, whose growing business
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constantly compelled them to secure larger quarters. Last January, after the death of Mr. Keen, the business was merged into a stock company, of which Mr. Hagerty was elected president. Mr. Hagerty was a public-spirited citizen of Baltimore, and was always willing to devote his time and money to projects for the betterment of that thriving city. He was prominent in church work, being one of the original members of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, and for many years superintendent of the Sunday school. At the time of his death he occupied the position of recording steward of the church. This long and active life presents an example of the highest type of the self-made, upright and public-spirited business man. Those who were near to him must mourn the loss of a noble and inspiring life- a sympathetic employer, a pillar of the church, a power in the up- building of his native city. The sympathy of the trade will go out to his business associates and those connected with him by family ties in this their hour of bereavement."
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