USA > Maryland > Men of mark in Maryland Johnson's makers of America series biographies of leading men of the state, Volume IV > Part 14
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William J. Grove's life has been literally spent in the lime busi- ness. He was an industrious boy, with slender educational advan- tages, owing to the fact that he grew up during the Civil War period, an incident which cost his father heavily and destroyed much of his property values, the slaves being an utter loss. He was the eldest of twelve children, and had to settle down to business from his boy- hood. He worked on the farm; thus acquiring practical knowledge of farming at an early age and also acquired a knowledge of the lime business. His schooleducation, however, was not neglected altogether, because the father, a successful and experienced teacher, looked after that himself; while the mother, a most excellent woman, looked after the boy's moral and spiritual training.
By the time he had arrived at manhood, W. J. Grove was a thoroughly competent lime manufacturer and developed business
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capacity of a high order. Early in the history of this enterprise, the father had acquired in addition to his original investment, the ex- tensive and well equipped kilns on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in Frederick, owned by Thomas Schley and Raymond Reich. The son was taken into the business, and on July 1, 1889, other sons hav- ing grown up, the M. J. Grove Lime Company was organized, with M. J. Grove as president, William J. Grove as vice-president, B. L. Grove as secretary, and E. D. Grove as manager. From that time on, the business grew by great leaps and bounds, M. J. Grove holding the presidency until his death at the age of eighty-three and retained his activity to that great age. The output at the first was about five thousand bushels per year, which has grown until now the com- pany manufactures more than one million bushels annually. In 1899, a plant was established at Stephens City, Virginia. In 1905, a plant was established at Washington, D. C. In that city they have made immense contracts, furnishing the stone used on the speedway of the White House grounds, and the crushed stone for the new filtration plant in Washington, which cost three million dollars to construct. Naturally, William J. Grove succeeded his father in the presidency. Bernard Lee Grove is in charge of the Washington plant. The works at Grove are under the management of J. Harry Grove. Edward D. Grove is in charge at Stephens City, Virginia. Eugene A. Grove managing the original office at Lime Kiln. Their trade now extends over a great part of the United States, and the volume of it runs into very large figures.
William J. Grove has developed into one of the strongest finan- ciers of his section and possesses that same measure of public spirit which made his father such a notable man. His father, M. J. Grove, served as a member of the Democratic Maryland Legislature in 1887 and 1891; he was for many years register of votes, and for a long time master of Enterprise Grange, at Buckeystown. William J. Grove, following in his father's footsteps, and along the line of his own con- victions, is an active Democrat, and has been for some years member of the State Central Committee of that party. He is affiliated with the Fraternal Order of the Knights of Columbus, and an earnest member of the Catholic Church. Mr. Grove is not one of those men who makes the mistake of wearing himself out, but is a lover of healthy and clean amusements, and finds a practical vent for outside activities in church work and in politics. These broaden his mind
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and his views of life, and prevent him from becoming a mere business drudge. Mr. Grove is always ready to lend his influence, his labor, and to give of his money to anything that will advance the public good, and is profoundly interested in the present great national movement for the improvement of our public roads.
He believes the young man entering life who wants to win a measure of success, must become interested in his work; set a high standard; and, while helping one's self to the attainment of that standard, never to forget to help others, and never to forget to per- form an act of kindness.
Mr. Grove was married on June 9, 1881, to Anna May Hardey, daughter of Dr. Thomas Edward Hardey of Burkittsville, Frederick County.
William J. Grove has made a most substantial success of his business life-and better than that, has discharged every duty of citizenship in such a way that he has been a success as a citizen, and along the road he has traveled he has never forgotten his duty to his fellow man. Resulting from all this, he is held in the most cordial esteem by all who know him.
ELISHA GRIFFITH WARFIELD
HE Warfields of Maryland have cut a large figure in the history of that famous old State. Richard Warfield came from Berkshire, England, in 1662, along with the Howards and descendants of other old Berkshire families, and settled with them upon the banks of the Severn. River in Anne Arundel County. He was a strong man, successful in his operations, and especially so as an ancestor, for in the History of the Founders of Anne Arundel and How- ard Counties, published by Professor J. D. Warfield, the index of the names of the Warfields in Maryland, from Richard down to the present time, covers nine close columns of print. Judged by Mr. Roosevelt's standard, Richard Warfield was a good citizen. His descendants have been prominent in many walks of life, giving many learned and professional men to the State-a recent governor, farmers and busi- ness men galore; and in every generation they have been conspicuous for patriotism and good citizenship. By intermarriage, the War- fields have become connected with nearly every prominent family in Maryland.
Of this distinguished family comes Elisha Griffith Warfield, of New York, now prominent in the business life of our great financial metropolis. Mr. Warfield was born in Laytonsville, Maryland, on May 15, 1863; son of Israel G. and Maria G. Warfield. His father was by occupation a farmer-a kindly and very industrious man.
Through his branch of the Warfield family, Mr. E. G. Warfield is descended from the Griffiths and Gaithers, other prominent Mary- land families, like the Warfields going back almost to the beginning of the colony. The Gaithers have a peculiarly old history, for our country, as they came first to Virginia in 1635 in the person of Joseph and Joan Gaither (or Gater, as the name was frequently spelled), aged respectively thirty-six and twenty-three years, and John Gaither (or Gater), aged fifteen years, probably the son of Joseph. In the list of the corporation of James City, Virginia, the name of John Gaither appears sixth. In 1662, John Gaither appears in Maryland in the same year that the Warfields came. The Griffiths go back to
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William Griffith, who came over in 1675, a Welshman of the famous Welsh family of that name, who married him a Scotch wife who de- rived her descent from Kenneth II, King of Scotland. This Griffith family made through some of its members, an especially brilliant military record in the early struggles of our country-one of them, Captain Samuel, having been closely affiliated with LaFayette; and when in 1825, the noble old Frenchman visited America, the two old soldiers met at Annapolis and embraced, with tears. Mr. Warfield can take a just pride in every one of his ancestral lines-they have been good citizens and patriots to the core.
Educated in the public schools, Elisha G. Warfield left home at the age of twenty-one and went to Boston, engaging in the railroad and steamship business as an employee in the Boston office of the Norfolk and Western Railroad and the Merchants' and Miners' Transportation Company. Seven years later he moved to New York City and became connected with the Cumberland Gap Dispatch, which had just been organized, and a little later became traffic mana- ger of the Mallory Steamship Line. Shipping Illustrated, a trade journal devoted to the shipping interests of New York City, gives · Mr. Warfield the credit for the immense increase in the business of the Mallory Line in the Southwest during the past fifteen years. Evidently he made his mark as a freight traffic manager, for in 1910, in connection with others, he was able to organize the Seaboard and Gulf Steamship Company, of which he was made vice-president and general manager. This company, newly organized, is already recog- nized as the "Texas Shippers" Line. It is largely interested in the promising port of Velasco, a natural harbor at the mouth of Brazos River, the development of which the company is pushing by all proper means; and in addition to this, the company also owns the Houston & Brazos Valley Railroad. They are having a splendid line of steamers built, and calculate in the near future to have a weekly line between New York, Port Arthur and Velasco.
Mr. Warfield has lived up to the traditions of the family and has "made good." He is a man of engaging personality, of most re- sourceful character, and is most highly esteemed in the business circles, where he is known, not only by his colleagues, but also by his competitors, as an honorable man in all the relations of life, and of high capacity. He is the vice-president of the Traffic Club of New York, having been actively identified with that organization since
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its inception, and was one of the five men responsible for its organiza- tion on the foundation of the older one known as the "Community and Freight Traffic Interest." Perhaps no higher testimonial to Mr. Warfield's personal popularity could be given than the fact of Shipping speaking of him as "Our Headlight." It may be safely assumed that when the head of a large corporation is known to his associates by a pleasant nickname, he has in addition to his business qualifications, personal qualifications of the most pleasant sort- and that of itself is a distinct asset in business.
Mr. Warfield is an active member of the Episcopal Church, and has been a vestryman of St. Bartholomew's Church, in Brooklyn, since 1905. He is an active Mason, holding his Blue Lodge member- ship in Montauk Lodge No. 286; has risen to the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite, and holds membership in the Mystic Shrine. He belongs to the Arkwright Club, the New York Club, and the Union League Club of Brooklyn. Politically, he classes himself as "a Cleveland Democrat." He is fond of golf; and while not especially an athlete, he regularly takes morning exercise which keeps him in the pink of physical condition. His favorite reading through life has been along the line of his pursuit-marine customs and laws; and this perhaps accounts for his partiality for geography, which he puts down as his preferred study.
Mr. Warfield was married on May 15, 1890, to Harriet S. Sargent. They have one child.
It will be observed in this brief record that Mr. Warfield is yet connected with the same line of business that he entered at the age of twenty-one. This accounts in some measure for his success. To use a familiar old phrase, he "stuck to his bush;" and having thoroughly qualified himself, in due time his patience and his ability have been rewarded.
JOHN ELLIOTT GEORGE
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T HE Honorable John Elliott George, one of the most prominent and best liked citizens of Queen Anne County, was born in Sudlersville, July 23, 1859; son of Joseph E. and Martha L. George. His father combined the occupations of merchant and farmer; was a prominent citizen; served as judge of the orphan's court; was an energetic man, enterprising and successful in business. The American progenitor of this family, Joseph George, great-grand- father of our subject, came from England in the eighteenth century and lived near Philadelphia. Mathias George, son of Joseph, and grandfather of our subject, moved from Pennsylvania, to conduct the farm and mills belonging to the family, which have now been owned by them quite one hundred and fifty years, and now held by the subject of this sketch. Mathias George was an active member of the Whig party. Born in 1801, he followed farming and was a member of the Society of Friends. In 1839, the Whigs elected him to the Lower House of the General Assembly, in which he served until 1845; and they then elected him to the State Senate, in which he served until 1851, making twelve years of continuous service. In 1862, he served as county commissioner for one term. He was twice married; and his son, Joseph E., was the son of his first wife, Martha Elliott. Joseph E. was a man remarkably successful in his operations, both as a farmer and as a dealer in grain, fertilizers, coal, and farm imple- ments. He became one of the largest land owners in the county, owning in addition to his valuable homestead, thirty-five other farms.
John E. George was educated in the local schools partly, and partly by private tutors, until 1878, when he took a course in Bryant and Stratton's Business College of Baltimore. During his boyhood life, a portion of his time was spent in his father's office; so that when he arrived at manhood he was fully competent to carry forward the same line of business. In 1881, in partnership with his brother-in- law, James Merrick, Jr., he engaged in the business of dealing in fertilizers, agricultural implements, lumber and grain; took over
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the business which had previously been conducted by Mr. George's father, and carried it forward successfully for years.
On November 1, 1891, Mr. George was married to Miss Elvira Anderson of Sudlersville; and they have three children: Elsie L .; Joseph M .; and Madaline M. George.
In 1887, Mr. George was elected as a town commissioner. He performed the duties of the office for two years so successfully that he was reelected, making four years of service. He was then elected as a county commissioner, and served in that capacity for a term of six years; and while filling that position, was also treasurer of the board. He was then elected clerk of the circuit court, which position he still holds. For many years past, he has been chairman of the county Democratic committee; is a most earnest supporter of the policies of that party; and for long years past has been an in- fluential member of the State central committee.
He is a man of much public spirit; an able farmer; a lover of fine horses; and by his attractive personal qualities one of the popu- lar men of the county. In fraternal circles, he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and Patriotic Sons of America. His religious affiliation is with the Protestant Episcopal Church.
Mr. George, is not ashamed to acknowledge that he loves a good horse-race. After that, in the way of recreation he is fond of base- ball, shooting, boxing, and athletics generally.
He believes for the young man starting out in life, that David Crockett's motto is a pretty sound one, "Be sure you're right; then go ahead." He makes what is in the nature of a postscript to that- that one should not only "go ahead," but "stick to it."
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RICHARD LLOYD TILGHMAN
T HE Tilghman family of Maryland is truly one of the notable families of our country. They have a just right to take pride in the record of the family, which, since its first estab- lishment in Maryland in 1661, has in every generation furnished useful, brilliant, and patriotic men to the country. Numbers 2, 3 and 4 of Volume I of the Maryland Historical Magazine, gives in detail the genealogy of this family back to Richard Tilghman, who lived at Holloway Court, Snodland, Kent, England, about 1450. Space · will not permit entering into detail of this history, but there are one or two points that may be noted. About 1575, William Tilghman, fifth in descent from the first Richard Tilghman, married as his fourth wife Susanna Whetenhall. Susanna Whetenhall's grand- father was George Whetenhall, who married Alice Berkeley. Alice Berkeley was a daughter of Elizabeth Neville, who married Thomas Berkeley. Elizabeth Neville was a daughter of Sir George Neville, Barøn Abergavenny, who died in 1492, and who was a lineal descend- ant of King Edward III. It thus appears that in the fifth generation there came into the family the blood of the famous old English King. In the seventh generation appears Doctor Richard Tilghman, born September 3, 1626, died January 7, 1675, and became a settler in Maryland in 1661. Captain Richard Lloyd Tilghman, subject of this sketch, was fifth in line from the immigrant, Doctor Richard Tilghman, and twelfth in line from Richard Tilghman of 1450. .
Captain Tilghman was born in Talbot County, on his father's estate known as "Grosses," on August 20, 1811, and died September 19, 1867. Captain Tilghman was a son of William Gibson Tilghman, of the eleventh generation from the first Richard, born 1785, died 1844. On March 13, 1808, he married Anna Polk, daughter of Daniel and Margaret (White) Polk, of Sussex County, Delaware. Mrs. Polk was a daughter of Judge Thomas White, of Delaware.
. The early records of Kent County, Maryland, fairly bristle with the Tilghmans and their doings. The descendants of the daughters of the family, which also shows to some extent in the records of old
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Kent, were quite as conspicuous as the descendants of the male line; but our space does not permit entering into that. The family became very prominent on the Eastern Shore, and were leaders in the public and social life of the state. When the Revolutionary struggle broke out, Tench Tilghman entered the army, became military. secretary and aide-de-camp to General Washington; and though finally pro- moted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, that promotion was delayed at his own urgent request, in order to prevent jealousy on the part of the other officers. His service was so conspicuous that Congress presented him with a vote of thanks, a sword, a horse and accoutre- ments. Washington; in speaking of his service said: "Colonel Tilghman has been in every action in which the main army was con- cerned, and has been a faithful assistant to me for nearly five years, a great part of which time he refused to receive pay." Another Tench Tilghman, born in 1810, grandson of the preceding, entered the United States army, and after some years in the regular service retired. He was very prominent in Maryland, was made first briga- dier-general, and then major-general, of the State militia, and held numerous public appointments, both in connection with the State and the Federal governments. Going back a little, we find Matthew Tilghman, born' in 1718, son of Richard and grandson of Doctor Richard, the immigrant. He was a leading patriot in the pre- Revolutionary period, was a member of the Continental Congress which made the Declaration of Independence, and was absent in Annapolis presiding over the State Convention, which was framing a Constitution, which accounts for his name not appearing as one of the signers of that historic document. Then there was James Tilgh- man, a great lawyer, brother of Matthew just referred to. He was also prominent in the Revolutionary period. William, another great lawyer, born in 1756, was appointed by President Jefferson a United States circuit judge. Coming down the line, we find Lloyd Tilghman, born 1816. He also entered the regular army, resigned from that to take up civil engineering, and on the outbreak of the war between the States sided with the Confederacy. He was a gallant man, rose to the rank of brigadier-general, and was killed at Baker's Creek in the Vicksburg campaign. A little further along we find Benjamin Chew Tilghman, born in Philadelphia in 1822. He was a chemist by profession, joined the Federal army in 1861, and rose to be a brigadier-general in that service. After the war be became quite prominent as the inventor of chemical and mechanical processes.
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In the five generations between Doctor Richard Tilghman, the immigrant, and Captain Richard Tilghman, the subject of this sketch, fifty members of this family were men of more than usual note. They were soldiers, lawyers, doctors, planters and sailors, and in every war waged by our country, the family has been numerously and conspicuously represented.
Captain Richard Lloyd Tilghman was educated in the academy at Easton, Maryland. On October 27, 1830, Captain Tilghman, then -a youth of nineteen, was appointed a midshipman in the United States navy, and on the ensuing 18th of March he was gazetted to the Warren. In May he was transferred to the John Adams, at Norfolk. On February 8, 1834, he was warranted, and on February 17th ordered to the Constitution. July 1, 1835, he was detached from the Constitution to attend the naval school, and on June 4, 1836, warranted as a passed midshipman, with the rank of No. 1. January 17 he was ordered to duty in the Independence. On September 8, 1841; he was commissioned lieutenant; On January 29, 1842, ordered to the Vandalia. September 22, 1843, he was ordered from the Vandalia to the Yorktown, and on November 7, transferred to the Plymouth. January 7, 1845, he was detached to the Columbus, and August 15 of the same year, to the Congress. The next item on his naval record does not show up until January 27, 1849, when he was detached from the Congress; but during these three and a half years momentous things had happened. The war with Mexico had taken place, and during that war Commodore Robert F. Stockton was ordered to the Pacific in the Congress and Cyane. Lieutenant Tilghman being an officer of the Congress, par- ticipated in the campaign which resulted in the conquest of California, the capture. of Mazatlan, Guaymas and LaPaz. Though our his- tories do not deal very largely with this campaign of the navy in California, it was really the most romantic episode of what was in itself a rather romantic struggle. The little handful of Americans, composed of a very small land force under Colonel Fremont, and a detachment of sailors and marines from Commodore Stockton's little squadron, did some gallant fighting and won some remarkable victories. In this campaign, Lieutenant Tilghman was conspicuous for his gallantry, and more than once distinguished himself in action. Returning from the Pacific after that war, he was on March 22, 1849, ordered to the receiving ship at Baltimore, and in December of the
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same year to the Germantown. July 17, 1851, he was put in command of the Preble, and on April 9, 1855, ordered to the Cyane. October 16 of the same year, he was attached to the Potomac, and on November 3 of that same year, was placed in command of the Fulton. On December 19, 1857, he was detached from the Fulton, and placed in command of the Perry. June 7, 1860, he was placed on waiting orders, during which he settled his accounts, and on May 13, 1861, his resignation, dated April 23, was accepted. He had given thirty years to the naval service of the country. While in command of the Perry, between 1857 and 1860, he was on the Brazilian station during the Paraguayan war.
In February 1843, Captain Tilghman married Agnes Riddell Owen, a daughter of Kennedy and Agnes (Riddell) Owen. Of this marriage eight children were born, two sons and six daughters. Of these, three are now living, all daughters. These are Mary, Agnes Riddell, and Madeline Tasker. Nannie T. married Theodore G. Luewer. Madeline Tasker married Doctor Christopher Johnston of Baltimore, now professor of oriental languages in Johns Hopkins University. One of the sons, Doctor Charles H. Tilghman, married Elizabeth Donnell. He died in 1906, leaving five sons and three daughters.
One quality stands out prominently in the record of this family. They seem to have been a very steadfast race. In all the long record there is not found a single one who having once put his hand to the plow ever drew back. Whatever the work might be, once undertaken, it was not given up until the fullest measure of duty had been rendered. Next to that appears an exalted patriotism which has made them in every generation ever ready to take up the quarrels of the country zeal- ously and gladly; and like the old Revolutionary Colonel so highly com- plimented by the great Washington, they have done so without hope or expectation of reward from pure love of country. It may be said of this family as a whole, without specifying any individual members, because it is true of all, they have served their generations well.
LEWIS DILL
EWIS DILL, head of the lumber and shipping firm bearing his name, was born in Frederick, Maryland, on September 19, 1859.
The Dills were English-Scotch settlers in New England and Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather of Lewis Dill, John Dill, coming to Frederick County from across the line in Pennsylvania. The family furnished to the Revolutionary army an officer and a sur- geon. His maternal line starting in Frederick County with Henry Griffith, brother of Colonel Philemon Howard Griffith of the Revolu- tionary army, and himself commissioner in the formation of Mont- gomery County, and justice of the county court in 1777 and his wife Ruth Hammond; to Eleanor Griffith and Captain John Burgess of the Militia in defense of Fort McHenry; to Eleanor Burgess and John Houck, who also was a defender of Fort McHenry; to Eleanor Houck, sister of Chief Judge Henry Houck of the orphans court and to Lewis Dill's parents.
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