USA > Maryland > Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110
His paternal grandfather, Thomas Holton, was born in the North of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and about 1780 crossed the broad At- lantic and took up his residence in Chester County, Pa., where he successfully followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1831,
at the age of ninety years. He became well-to-do, was a faithful member of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, and was highly respected by all who knew him. In his family were three sons, Will- iam, who was born in 1780, and became the founder of that branch of the family now found in Kentucky; Alexander, who spent his entire life in Chester County, Pa .; and Thomas, the doctor's father.
The last-named was born in Oxford, Chester County, Pa., May 4, 1799, came to Cecil County, Md., in 1822; but about 1843 returned to his birthplace, where he spent his remaining days upon a farmi, dying there in September, 1875. In early life he engaged in milling, but later devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, and was quite a successful business man. Like his father he was a faithful member of the Presby- terian Church and a valued and highly esteemed citizen. He married Mary Alexander, daughter of Joseph Alexander, of Cecil County, Md., whose father was George, the son of Theophilus and grandson of James Alexander, the founder of the family in this country. The Alexanders owned a large estate which is still in the posses- sion of the family. George Alexander, the doctor's great-grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and his grandfather, Joseph Alexander, aided in the defense of his country during the war of 1812. The latter was a promi- nent farmer of Cecil County. He had only one son, John, who during the gold excitement went to California, and all trace of him has since been lost. The family is noted for longevity, and Mrs. Holton is still living at the advanced age of ninety-two years, now making her home with her son, Hart B. Holton, in Baltimore County. She is still in the possession of all her mental faculties and is quite bright and active for one of her years.
Dr. Holton is second in order of birth in a family of eight children, the others being as fol- lows: Margaret Ann, widow of Asa Warner, of Baltimore County, where she is still living; Will- iam B., a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical College, who was successfully engaged in practice at the time of his death, when only twenty-seven
1
2So
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
years of age; Jolin, who is engaged in the harness business in Wilmington, Del .; Thomas S., who graduated from the medical department of the University of Maryland, and engaged in practice in Kent County until his death in 1881; Mary, who is living with her mother and brother in Baltimore County; Hart B., an extensive farmer and stock-raiser of Baltimore County, who is a leading politician of this state and has served as state senator and also as a member of the forty- ninth congress of the United States; and Susan, wife of Philip Owings, of Baltimore County.
Dr. Holton, of this review, was born June 10, 1825, in Cecil County, Md., seven miles from Elkton. He spent his early life upon the home farm and attended the common schools of the neighborhood until sixteen years of age, when he became a student in the Newark Academy of Delaware, remaining there two years. On leav- ing that institution he taught school for four years, during which time he began to study medicine, and in March, 1852, graduated from the Philadelphia College of Medicine with the degree of M. D. He commenced practice at Landisburg, Perry County, Pa., but in August, 1852, went to Chestertown, Kent County, Md., and the following year came to Centreville, where he has since successfully prosecuted his profession and has met with excellent and well-merited success. Besides his city property he owns a fine farm of five hundred acres.
In 1857 Dr. Holton married Miss Catherine Jane, daughter of Tilghman Layton, of Sussex County, Del. To them was born one son, Will- iam Layton Holton, who since the age of nine- teen years has been teller in the Centreville National Bank. He married the fourth daughter of Gen. Willian McKenney.
The doctor is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity. Being a public-spirited, pro- gressive man, he has taken an active interest in the affairs of his town. For several years he served as president of the Centreville Academy, has been president of the board of education for the past ten years, and has been a member of the board for over a quarter of a century. He has also served since 1871 as physician at the Queen Anne's
County almshouse, is a charter member and one of the originators of the building and loan associ- ation of Centreville, and is justly regarded as one of the leading and representative citizens of Centreville. The place he has won in his pro- fession is accorded him in recognition of his skill and ability, and the place he occupies in tlie social world is a tribute to that genuine worth and true nobleness of character which are uni- versally recognized and honored.
OL. OSWALD TILGHMAN, state senator from Talbot County, was born March 7, 1841, at the old homestead, Plinhimmon, near Oxford, in Talbot County. He is a repre- sentative of an old and distinguished family of the Eastern Shore, whose members have been inti- mately identified with public affairs since an early day in the history of our country. The first of the name in America was Richard Tilghman, M. D., an eminent surgeon in London, who came to Maryland in 1660 and settled at the Hermitage, near Queenstown, in Queen Anne's County, which has ever since remained in the possession of his descendants.
James, a grandson of Richard, was born Decem- ber 6, 1716. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and entered upon practice in Annapolis, but about 1760 removed to Philadelphia, where he soon became prominent. In 1764 he was chosen a common councilman of Philadelphia and the following year was appointed by John Penn to the position of secretary of the land office of Pennsylvania, in which capacity he continued until the Revolution. In 1767 he became a member of the provincial council and also held that position until the war with England.
Matthew, his brother, was born at the Hermit- age February 17, 1718, and attained prominence in political affairs. In 1751 he was elected a delegate to the general assembly of Maryland and continued to act in that capacity until the pro- vincial government was superseded by state organization, February 5, 1777. In 1773-75 he
281
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
was speaker of the house of delegates. He was president of the Revolutionary convention which controlled the province from 1774 to 1777, and was chairman of the committee on correspondence that was appointed in December, 1774, also the chairman of the council of safety in July, 1775, and was chairman of every delegation sent by the convention of Maryland to the Continental Con- gress. In June, 1776, while a member of con- gress, he was called to attend the convention at Annapolis and was president of the body that framed the first laws for the new state of Mary- land. Had it not been for this circumstance, his name would have been attached to the Declaration of Independence, the principles of which he zealously advocated, in public and private speech. In 1777 he retired from congress in order to ac- cept the position of state senator from Talbot County.
William, son of James, was born in Talbot County August 12, 1756. Admitted to the bar in 1783, he began upon the practice of his pro- fession. In 1788 he was elected to the legis- lature; March 3, 1801, was appointed chief judge of the United States circuit court; in July, 1805, was appointed president of the court of common pleas of the first district, and in February, 1806, became chief justice of the state supreme court. In 1824 he was chosen president of the American Philosophical Society.
Tench, another son of James, acquired promi- nence in the army. He was born in Talbot County on Christmas Day of 1744. At the beginning of the war he became lieutenant in the "Ladies' Light Infantry" from Philadelphia. He was secretary and treasurer of the commission sent by congress, July 13, 1775, to treat with the six nations of Indians in the state of New York. Early in 1776 he became captain of a company of Pennsylvania infantry under Washington, and in August of that year became military secretary and aide upon the staff of the commander-in- chief. May 30, 1781, he was commissioned lieu- tenant-colonel to take rank from April 1, 1777. On the surrender of Cornwallis he was selected by Washington to bear his dispatch to congress announcing that event. He left Yorktown Oc-
tober 19 and reached Philadelphia at midnight October 23, when the news was immediately pro- claimed by the watcliman. He was voted the thanks of congress, a sword and a horse. After the war he settled in Baltimore, where he en- gaged in merchandising, and there he died April 18, 1786.
Lloyd, great-grandson of Matthew, was born in Talbot County in 1816, graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1836 and was assigned to the First Dragoons, but resigned Sep- tember 30 and became a civil engineer. In 1836-37 he was division engineer of the Baltimore & Susquehanna Railroad; in 1837-38 held a similar position on the Norfolk & Wilmington Canal; worked on the Eastern Shore Railroad in Maryland 1838-39, and the Baltimore & Ohio 1839-40. In the Mexican war he was aide to Gen. David E. Twiggs at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and was captain of the Maryland and District of Columbia battalion of volunteers. After it was disbanded, July 13, 1848, he served as principal assistant engineer of the Panama division of the Isthmus Railroad and was engineer on southern roads until 1859. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate service, was colonel of the Fourth Kentucky Confederate Infantry Regiment and the following year was commissioned brigadier-general. Taken prisoner at Fort Henry, Tenn., he was exchanged after five months. He was killed in the battle of Champion Hill or Edwards Station, near Vicks- burg, Miss., May 16, 1863. His sons Frederick Boyd Tilghman and Sidell Tilghman are promi- nent stock brokers in New York City.
Gen. Tench Tilghman, great-grandson of Rich- ard, and our subject's father, was born at Plin- himmon, Talbot County, Md., Marchi 25, 1810. He graduated from West Point in 1832 and was assigned to the Fourth Artillery, but resigned November 30, 1833, and became a farmer near Oxford, Md. From 1837 to 1860 he was briga- dier-general of the state militia, and afterward was major-general for a year. In 1841 he was chosen state commissioner of public works and served for ten years. From 1849 to 1857 he was superintendent of the military department of
282
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Maryland military academy. In 1849-50 he was United States consul at Mayaguez, Porto Rico. Tireless in his efforts to secure the building of the Maryland & Delaware Railroad, he was presi- dent of the company from 1855 to 1861. From 1857 to 1860 he was collector of customs at the port of Oxford. In 1858 he was chosen president of the National Agricultural Society and served for two years. For many years he was at the head of the Maryland Society of the Cincinnati, and at his death, December 22, 1894, he was also treasurer-general of the society.
The education of the subject of this sketch was acquired largely in the Maryland Military Academy at Oxford, Md. In the spring of 1859 he went to Texas. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in the Confederate service and was in the first cavalry regiment that left the state-the Eighth Texas Cavalry, or Terry's Texas Rangers. Among other engagements he took part in the battle of Shiloh, participated in the seven days' fight around Richmond, where he liad an artillery command, and was later ap- pointed aide on the staff of Gen. Lloyd Tilgh- man. At the siege of Port Hudson he was a lieutenant in the Rock City Artillery and the only officer of the four in his battery who was not killed during this memorable siege. Upon the surrender of Port Hudson he was taken prisoner and was sent to Johnson's Island, Ohio, where he was held in captivity for twenty-three months.
Upon the close of the war Colonel Tilghman returned to Talbot County and studied law in the office of Charles H. Gibson. On being admitted to the bar, he settled down to practice in Easton. His ability has been recognized, not only by his numerous clients, but especially by the Demo- cratic party, with which he affiliates. In 1893, upon the party ticket, he was elected to the state senate, where he has ably represented his con- stituents. Among the committees upon which he has served are those on pensions, amend- ments to constitution, judicial proceedings, public buildings in Annapolis, and the committee on the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. He is a member of the Society of the Cincinnati and is the author of the "Memoir of Lieut .- Col. Tench
Tilghman." He has the golden eagle, order of the Cincinnati, which General Washington pre- sented to Lieut. - Col. Tench Tilghman. He was appointed one of the two commissioners from tlie state of Maryland to represent the state in the one hundredth anniversary of the battle of York- town, at which meeting he wore the sword, spurs and epaulets that his ancestor had at the original occasion. Tlie sword is an engraved one that was presented to Lieut .- Col. Tench Tilghman by congress October 29, 1781, and is one of many old and valuable relics in possession of our sub- ject. Another of these souvenirs is a letter from the war office of the United States, bearing date of May 30, 1786, and signed by General Knox, regarding the resolution of congress in presenting sword. Another souvenir is a painting of Gen- eral Washington by Charles Wilson Peale, re- corded in his diary as sold in 1791.
It was due to the efforts of Colonel Tilghman that the state bureau of immigration was estab- ' lished in 1896, he having worked unceasingly and energetically for its consummation. The movement is one that is destined to greatly aid the building up of the agricultural interests of this section and add new life to the pursuit of agriculture, for which the state is so well adapted. Colonel Tilghman has a fine town residence, Foxley Hall, in Easton.
HARLES W. SMITH, one of the most in- telligent and thrifty farmers and fruit grow- ers of Queen Anne's County, is now carrying on operations on a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres in the first district. The well-tilled fields and neat appearance of the place indicate a most progressive, industrious and energetic own- er, who thoroughly understands his chosen call- ing. He was born July 9, 1848, near Merry Dell, in Kent County, Del., where he grew to manhood upon a farm. His early education, ac- quired in the public schools, was supplemented by a course in the normal school of Baltimore, which he attended for two years. Locating in
J. THOMAS PENINGTON.
285
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Templeville, Md., in 1871, he served as principal of the public schools at that place for the long period of twelve years, his services being duly ap- preciated by the members of the board. At the end of that time he located upon his present farm, which he has since successfully operated with the exception of the years 1884 and 1885, when he conducted a general store in Templeville. Since then, however, he has given his undivided atten- tion to agricultural pursuits.
December 26, 1871, occurred the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Rachel Cahall, of Kent Coun- ty, Del., and they have become the parents of four children: Ernest F., Herman K., Wesley T. and Milton. In politics Mr. Smith is a thorough Democrat, believing that within that party lie the principles which are the safest guides for our national government. In 1891 he was elected judge of the orphans' court and discharged the duties of that responsible position in a most credit- able manner for a term of four years. He has never let his business or political interests inter- fere with his religious duties, and is one of the most faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Templeville, in which he has served as steward for a quarter of a century and also filled the office of trustee. He and his family figure prominently in the social life of the community, and their home is rendered very attractive to a large circle of friends by the culture and geniality of its inmates.
THOMAS PENINGTON is a retired farm- er and business man now making his home in Galena, Kent County. He owns stock in several of our leading banks and commercial en- terprises and is a man of means. He has a very pleasant, cultured home, and here he delights to entertain his hosts of friends. A native of Cecil County, Mr. Penington was born April 13, 1840, and is a son of Edward, who was likewise born and brought up in that section. He was well-to- do, was a successful farmer and owned many slaves, but the late war proved quite disastrous
to him in a financial way and he therefore came to Kent County; where he rented a farm during the rest of his life. He was summoned to his final rest when in his sixty-ninth year. Though not a politician or office holder, he was a stanch Democrat.
His father, also Edward by name, was a farm- er, and a native of Cecil County. He lived to a good old age, and was esteemed very highly by all who knew him. The family is of English descent, but has been identified with the Eastern Shore for several generations. The mother of our subject bore the girlhood name of Jane Penington; her father, Robert, was a native of Cecil County, a farmer, and a soldier of the war of 1812, serving as captain of a company. Mrs. Jane Penington was born in Cecil County in August, 1806, and died in 1875. She was a good wife and mother and a devoted member of the Episcopal Church. She left four sons: William, formerly a farmer of this section; J. Thomas; Henry C., a resident of Seaford, Del., now serv - ing on the governor's staff; and Noble E., of Westmoreland County, Va.
J. Thomas Penington remained upon his fath- er's farm until he was near his majority, when he commenced clerking in a general store in Ches- terville. Several years thus rolled away, he in the meantime gaining a fair knowledge of the proper manner of conducting a business enter- prise. When his father died he returned to the old homestead and assumed its management for his mother's benefit, and carried it on for some years with ability.
In 1871 Mr. Penington married Annie M., daughter of George R. and Mary E. (Duyer) Van Sant. The father was a farmer here all his life, and was thoroughly identified with this district. He died at the age of sixty-six years, regretted by a host of sincere friends. He was a Democrat, but was never half as concerned about political affairs as he was about matters of religion, being an earnest and active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His father, George, was likewise a native of Kent County, and a farmer. He died in middle life. Mary E. (Duyer) Van Sant was born in Galena, and was only twenty -
286
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
eight years old at the time of her death. She left but one child, Mrs. Annie Penington, who has also always made her home in this immediate locality, and who inherited from her mother the old Parker homestead that has been handed down from one generation to the next since 1670, when it first came into their possession. Mr. and Mrs. Penington are members of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Penington is a stockholder in the Second National Bank of Chestertown and in the Kent County Savings Bank. Politically he follows in the footsteps of his father, being an ardent Dem- ocrat, but entirely devoid of desire for public office.
ICHARD T. CARTER, who manages the estate of his late father, resides in the third district of Caroline County and is favorably known throughout this locality. The estate, which comprises over sixteen hundred acres, is valuable and well improved land, and was owned by his honored father, who was one of the repre- sentative men of this county during his active life, and who was no less noted for his statesman- ship and public ability, than he was for his won- derful skill as a financier. He was a charter mem- ber of the Denton National Bank, and assisted in the promotion of many worthy enterprises and industries which have redounded to the advance- ment and prosperity of this county.
Col. Richard C. Carter, for such was the name he bore, was born in this county about 1815 and was a son of John Carter, who was like- wise a native of these parts, and carried on a farm up to the time of his death, at the age of fifty years. Great-grandfather Carter was a na- tive of England, and came to America in com- pany with two brothers, in the early days of Maryland's history. Col. R. C. Carter dealt ex- tensively in grain and fertilizers, and owned sev- eral vessels in which he shipped his cargoes from one port to another along these shores, and from time to time made good investments in land. He always made his home upon a farm, and was fond of the rural pursuits and advantages of the life.
He was a leader in the local Democracy, and filled several minor offices, besides that of being a member of the state senate for two terms, and a member of the constitutional convention, where he served his constituents with rare fidelity. He died when in his eighty-first year, regretted by all his friends and neighbors. He married Sarah E. Slaughter, a daughter of Thomas Slaughter. She was born in Delaware, and of their five chil- dren only our subject remains.
Richard T. Carter was born July 29, 1857, and passed his boyhood upon his father's farm. After leaving the district schools he entered one in Williamsport, and subsequently graduated from Dickinson Seminary in 1875. Then he obtained a position as cashier in the Denton National Bank, and held the same acceptably for about nine years. He then carried on a hardware and farni- ing implement store in Denton for seven years. Since his father's death he has devoted his en- tire time to the management of the estate, and is now a practical farmer. Like his father before him, he uses his ballot on behalf of the Demo- cratic party, and fraternally is identified with the Masonic order and with the Red Men.
December 8, 1886, Mr. Carter married Carrie Sigler, a native of Paterson, N. J., and their only child is Annie S., now six years old. The parents are both members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church of Denton, and contribute liberally toward the support of religious and benevolent organizations.
OHN KEMP STEVENS is numbered among the most enterprising young attorneys of Caroline County, his home being in the town of Denton. The name he bears is one which has appeared numerous times in the history of Mary- land, among her statesmen and representative men in the various professions, and always with honor. His great-grandfather was of Scotch-Irish descent, and held large grants of land under the first Lord Baltimore, in Caroline County, about five hundred acres of that property being situated
287
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
in the third district. He resided upon this land, and was very successful in life, his death occur- ring when he was about sixty years of age.
Grandfather John Stevens was a native of Car- oline County, and always followed agricultural pursuits. Charles Stevens, the father of our sub- ject, was also born in this county, the date of the event being September 25, 1832. In boyhood he removed to Camden, Del., and there received the benefits of a good general education. About the time of the breaking out of the late Civil war he located upon Kent Island, Queen Anne's County, Md., and was there occupied in farming several years. Later he was for a time a resident of Tal- bot County, and finally he came to Denton. Here he carried on a drug business until he received the appointment of postmaster of the town from President Grant, during his first administration, and this office he held uninterruptedly until Presi- dent Cleveland first came into the White House. He was a most loyal Republican, and was devoted to the best interests of the public. Fraternally he was a Mason, and was moreover a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. When death claimed him, March 19, 1896, the whole com- miunity felt that a great and irreparable loss had befallen it, and his memory is tenderly cherished in the hearts of many of his sincere friends. His marriage took place December 31, 1870, the lady of his choice being Miss Susan E. Kemp, who was born and reared in Talbot County, Md. They had but two children, both sons. Charles E. was born in Denton, April 5, 1874, and was educated in the public schools and academies of this coun- ty, later attending the State Agricultural College.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.