Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 59

Author: Chapman Publishing Company
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: New York, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 906

USA > Maryland > Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland > Part 59

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Mr. Coleman was born in 1848, in Kent Coun- ty, of which his father, John W. Coleman, was also a native, and the family is of English origin. The father made his home near Reese's Corners, where for many years he carried on operations as a carpenter and builder, and died at that place in

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1858, at the age of forty-one years. He had mar- ried Sarah E. Fillingen, by whom he had five children, but only two are now living: William J., still a resident of Kent County, and J. Thomas.

Our subject received a good practical education in the common schools of his native county, and since attaining to man's estate has been promi- nently identified with its business interests as before stated. In 1877 he wedded Miss Sarah F. Parks, a daughter of Alexander Parks, and they became the parents of two children: Jessie B. and Myrtle Effa. The family hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Cole- man has served as trustee of the church for some time. As an upright, honorable business man, his course has commended him to the confidence and respect of the entire community, and as a citi- zen he meets every requirement

OSEPH ENNALLS MUSE CHAMBER- LAINE, M. D., of Easton, has for many years been one of the most eminent medical practitioners of Talbot County. He is numbered among the native sons of the county, his birth oc- curring February 18, 1826, upon a farm on the Choptank Run, twelve miles from Easton. His father, Samuel Chamberlaine, was born in Oxford Neck, Talbot County, served as a soldier of the war of 1812 at St. Michael's, and followed the oc- cupation of farming throughout life, but died in 1828, during early manhood. His brother, James Lloyd Chamberlaine, was a prosperous and prom- inent farmer and slave-holder of Talbot County. The paternal grandparents of the doctor were Samuel and Henrietta Maria (Hollyday) Cham- berlaine, while the maternal grandparents were Dr. W. W. and Margaret (Muse) Davis, of Anne Arundel County, Md. The doctor's mother bore the maiden name of Arianna W. Davis, and was a native of Dorchester County, Md. In her family were six children, three sons and three daughters, namely: Marian A., who married a Mr. Trippe and became the mother of

Dr. Trippe of "The Oak," of Talbot County; Henrietta Maria, who married George Archer Thomas, of Cecil County, Md., and has a daugh- ter; Samuel, a farmer, who died in middle life; William Muse, who died in Texas during the early part of the war; Margaret Ann, who mar- ried a first cousin, James W. L. Chamberlaine, now of Baltimore; and Joseph E. M., of this sketch.

After the death of his father, Dr. Chamberlaine accompanied his mother on her removal to Easton, where she died in 1835, when he was only nine years of age. He then went to live with his great-uncle, Dr. Muse, of Cambridge, and re- ceived his literary education in the schools of that place and Easton. Subsequently he was graduated from the medical department of the University of Maryland, and has since success- fully engaged in the active practice of his profes- sion in Easton. He has that true love for his work without which there can be no success, and has always been a progressive physician, constantly improving on his own and other's methods and gaining further encouragement and inspiration from the performance of each day's duties.

January 14, 1851, the doctor was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth B., daughter of William and Elizabeth C. (Bullitt) Hayward and granddaughter of Thomas I. Bullitt. To them were born four children, but only two are now living: Elizabeth B., wife of Emmett Hay- ward, and Joseph, a farmer of Dorchester Coun- ty, Md. His first wife died March 2, 1861. June 19, 1866, Dr. Chamberlaine wedded Miss S. Catherine Earle, daughter of Judge Earle, of Centreville.

The doctor is one of the most substantial and prosperous citizens of Easton as well as one of its most prominent physicians, and is the owner of two or three fine farms. Previous to the war he was a slave-holder, but was a strong Union man, and has since been an ardent supporter of the inen and measures of the Republican party. His family for generations had either been members of the Federalist or Whig parties, and he sup- ported the latter previous to the organization of

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the Republican party. He is a member of the American and State Medical Association, and also of the Chirurgical Society of Maryland, while religiously he is quite a prominent and active member of the Episcopal Church, and is now serving as one of the trustees of the Cathe- dral. Wherever he goes the doctor wins friends and has the happy faculty of being able to re- tain them.

ENRY L. D. STANFORD is one of the leading attorneys-at-law of Princess Anne, Somerset County. He located here in Janu- ary, 1895, becoming a partner of Joshua W. Miles, member of congress. In his political views he is a Democrat, and has been quite ac- tive in the party. He was appointed supervisor of elections by Governor Lowndes and served as such, but with that exception has never held public office.

A native of Salisbury, Md., Mr. Stanford was born October 2, 1856. He is a son of Isaac W. . Henry L. D., Jr.

H. and Martha J. (Moore) Stanford, who were both natives of Wicomico County. The father, a merchant tailor by occupation, was the first postmaster of Salisbury, under Lincoln's admin- istration, and once served as a member of the Maryland legislature. His death took place when he was in the prime of life, being only forty-three years old. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife died in 1883, when in her sixtieth year, leaving four children. Will- iamanna is the wife of Charles H. Rider, now of Washington, D. C. Mary S. is the wife of Rich- ard A. Atwood, of Boston, Mass. Samuel M. is in the commission business in Omaha, Neb.

H. L. D. Stanford passed his early days under the parental roof at Salisbury. He attended the public schools until he was twelve years old, when he went to Baltimore and was there a student in the grammar school three years. When in his sixteenth year he commenced clerking in a law office in that city, and was thus employed for some five years. Having become quite familiar

with the lore of the profession in the meantime, he decided to enter it for himself, but the opportu- nity did not at once present itself. He was a clerk in a hotel in Princess Anne from 1876 to 1882 and next took a clerkship with a Washington (D. C.) law firm, with whom he continued six years. In 1888 he began reading law with Judge Henry Page and Joshua W. Miles, of this town. (See their sketches elsewhere in this volume.) He was admitted to the bar in April, 1890, and in August of that year opened an office in Salisbury. He was associated with Hon. Robert P. Graham, now state comptroller, until the close of 1894. Since then he has been practicing his profession in Princess Anne. He is a member of the Masonic order, being identified with Manokin Lodge No. 106, A. F. & A. M., and is also connected with the Heptasophs. In the Episcopal Church, of which he is a member, he is also a vestryman.

In 1895 Mr. Stanford married Miss Marian F., daughter of C. C. Waller, who is now the general freight and passenger agent for the Queen Anne Railroad Company. To Mr. and Mrs. Stanford have been born two children, Marian Waller and

ILLIAM E. JARRELL has been recog- nized as one of the representative farmers of the first district of Kent County for nearly a quarter of a century. He is a self-made man, and is literally the architect of his own for- tune. Through his energetic efforts and deter- mination to succeed he has prospered year by year, until he is now in very good circumstances financially. Not contented with confining him- self to the somewhat limited scope of agriculture in its strictest form, he has branched out into other enterprises, and has been uniformly success- ful in those ventures. Provided that a man has perseverance and pluck in addition to industrious habits of working he is pretty certain of meeting with the golden reward he seeks, and so it has happened in his case.

Robert Jarrell, father of the above, was a native

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of Caroline County, and there spent the greater part of his life, engaged in the management of his farm. He died at the age of sixty-two years, regretted by all who had known him. First a Whig, he later became allied with the Democratic party, and was for several years judge of the or- phans' court. Both he and his good wife were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her maiden name was Mary A. Tem- ple, and Queen Anne's County the place of her birth. She was summoned to the home beyond when about three-score years of age, and left eight children to mourn her loss. Annie E. is the widow of R. J. Orrell, of Caroline County; Joshua R. is a farmer in the second district of the same county; Robert is engaged in the canning business in that county; Mary T. is the wife of M. H. Gray, of Queen Anne's County; Wesley owns and operates a farm near Ridgely, Caroline Coun-

William E. Jarrell was born in the vicinity of Sudlersville, Queen Anne's County, September 8, 1845, and was reared to the life of a farmer, receiving practical training in every detail of the work pertaining to the proper management of a homestead. His elementary schooling was sup- plemented by two terms spent in West River Academy. He made the most of his privileges, and is to-day a very well-informed man on cur- rent events and general affairs in the great world. When he was about twenty-one he began clerk- ing, and was a resident of Greensborough, Caro- line County, some time. Returning home then, he worked on his father's farm one year, then removed to Queen Anne's County, where he re- mained four years, and thus acquired some cap- ital with which to embark in business on his own account. In 1872 he came to Kent County and rented a farm for three years, subsequently pur- chasing the fine place owned by William T. Spry. Hereon he has since dwelt, having in the mean- while greatly improved and beautified it. There are two hundred and thirty-five acres of land comprised within the boundaries of this valuable farm, and besides this he owns six other well-

kept and fertile tracts of land, some situated in this, and some in Queen Anne's County. Alto- gether he is the fortunate possessor of about fif- teen hundred acres, most of it being under good cultivation. At times he has dealt in farm ma- chinery and tools, and also has a good trade in phosphates. He invested in a small sawmill a few years ago, and is cutting oak trees into lum- ber. In short, he is one who succeeds in about every undertaking he turns his hand to, and the reason for this is plainly that he is enterprising and uses good judgment in the management of his affairs.

In 1871 Mr. Jarrell married Maggie E. Clem- ments, of this county, and their only child, W. Frank, is now attending Randolph College at Ashland, Va. He is a young man of fine quali- fications, and will unquestionably make his mark. Fairly interested in political matters, Mr. ty; Louisa married W. L. Cooper, of that county; - Jarrell is a Democrat, but has never held office, Charles L. owns the old homestead, in the same locality; and our subject completes the number.

with the exception of having been a trustee of the almshouse of Kent County one term. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, of Chesterville, and is a trustee and stew- ard in the same. Upright and just in all his dealings with his fellows, he commands the genuine respect of all, and we are glad to give him a place in this volume, which records the his- tories of the leading men of this section.

HOMAS STEVENSON has spent his entire life as a resident of Lawsons district, Somer- set County, where at different times he has followed various occupations. When a boy he learned the trade of a ship carpenter and this he followed uninterruptedly through the years of early manhood. For a time he was also engaged in the oyster trade. In 1871 he opened a general store near his home, and also began the cultiva- tion of a part of the old homestead, since which time he has added to his original estate until he is now the owner of one hundred acres, all well improved.

The father of our subject, Benjamin T. Steven-

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so11, was born in Somerset County in 1809 and spent his entire life upon the place now occupied by his son. Having learned the ship carpenter's trade in youth, he made this his life occupation, and met with excellent success as a master builder. Under his supervision nearly one hull- dred vessels were built. In addition to this work lie also superintended the management of liis farm property. In religious belief he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he served as steward and a member of the official board. His death occurred when he was seventy-four years of age. By his marriage to Harriet, daughter of Thomas Ward, he had eight children. Three sons are now living: Thomas, William J. and Benjamin F., who also occupy portions of the old homestead. The mother of this family was connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church and was a woman of noble Christian character. She died when seventy-two years of age.

On the farm, where he was born in 1835, our subject passed the years of his youth, meantime receiving a common-school education and learn- ing the trade of a ship carpenter, which he after- ward followed. He takes an interest in public affairs and votes the Democratic ticket. Frater- nally he is a member of the Heptasophs. He and his family are members of the Methodist Protest- ant Church, in which he has been a trustee for several years. By his marriage to Aurinthia A. Miles, daughter of John H. Miles, he has three children, Lizzie M., Ira E. and Alula E., the last-named being the wife of W. C. Horsey, of Marion.

ON. JAMES LAWS. There are few resi- dents of Pittsburg district, Wicomico County, who are more intimately identified with its agricultural and commercial interests than the subject of this article. In public affairs he has been a prominent factor and his influence has been given to the promotion of progressive en- terprises. As judge of the orphans' court he served one term of four years, then, after an in-

terval of equal length, was re-elected, serving two consecutive terms, or eight years, and being chief judge during his last term. For a short time he was also justice of the peace.

The personal and property interests of Judge Laws are»valuable. He owns four farms, com- prising about eight hundred acres of very fine land in Worcester County, besides two farms in Dennis district, Wicomico County, aggregating five hundred and sixty five acres of well-improved land. He also owns a store building at Pittsville and another, of brick, in Salisbury, and is the owner of a saw-mill, having engaged in the lum- ber business in addition to general farm pursuits. From 1886 to 1888 he carried on a mercantile business at Pittsville, but then sold out, and in 1892 retired from active participation in business affairs.

In Dennis district, Worcester (now Wicomico) County, Md., the subject of this sketch was born, February 3, 1824. His father, Willianı, was a son of William, Sr., and a grandson of Elijah, who was the first of the family to locate in Wor- cester County. Our subject's father was born and reared in Dennis district, and there married Gertrude Duncan. He was an extensive planter and slave owner, and at the time of the emanci- pation proclamation he owned fifty slaves worth $50,000. Five children were born of his mar- riage, namely: James; Margaret L., Mrs. Bur- bage, who died in 1870; Mary J., the widow of Stephen L. Purnell, and a resident of Snow Hill, Worcester County; William L., who resides on a part of the old homestead; and Catherine, Mrs. John Williams, deceased.

The education of our subject was obtained in the common and subscription schools. At the age of thirty-four he left the old homestead and came to Pittsburg district, where he has since resided. In 1867 he married Sallie M. Fooks, and eleven children were born of their union, four of whom are deceased. William E., a resi- dent of Pittsville, is engaged in the lumber busi- ness; James R. T. is engaged in the mercantile business in Salisbury; Mary died in 1884; Ida G. is the widow of John Williams; Clarence is at home; John M. and Charles E. are employed as

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clerks in their brother's store at Salisbury; and Lillian M. resides with her parents. Three chil- dren died in infancy. The family occupies a high social position in the neighborhood where its members reside.

HOMAS J. DIXON, one of the wealthiest citizens of Somerset County, has made his home in Princess Anne for the past thirty- four years. He is an advocate of Democratic principles and was elected sheriff of this county in the fall of 1879, serving as such for one term. In 1869 he was a member of the board of control and review; here and in numerous ways he has sought to promote the prosperity of this city, his chosen home. He was one of the organizers of the Somerset County Savings Bank and was its second president, serving from 1892 until 1895, when he resigned, in order to attend to his extensive business interests which now command his whole time, though he is still a director in that well-known financial institution.

Though now seventy-six years of age, his birth having occurred November 28, 1821, Mr. Dixon is still apparently in sound health of mind and body, and requires no assistance in the management of his many and varied business enterprises. He was born in Westover, Somer- set County, his parents being Nathaniel and Ann (Corbin) Dixon, natives of this county and of Virginia, respectively. The father was a suc- cessful farmer and resided in this county during his whole life, which extended over a period of eighty-four years. In politics he was first a Whig and later a Democrat. His wife died when only thirty-eight years of age, and left six children, of whom our subject is the only survivor.

Thomas J. Dixon received only a country school education at first in his boyhood, but being desirous of wider opportunities he attended Washington Academy of this place for a time. When he was about twenty he engaged in mer- cantile pursuits for himself at Anne Mesick, Somerset County, and thus spent the succeeding

three years. Afterwards he followed boating and trading on the Chesapeake Bay for two years or more, and then settled down again, conducting a store in Westover, his birthplace. Since that time he has carried on business undertakings in various towns of this county and has been uniformly prosperous in these enterprises. Be- coming somewhat of a capitalist in time, he began loaning money on security and has held a great many mortgages on real estate and other property. He now owns seven farms situated within the county and comprising altogether twenty-six hundred acres. In addition to this he owns about seventy-five business houses and residences in Crisfield and nearly as many in Princess Anne.

In 1842 Mr. Dixon married Miss Sarah Long, of Somerset County. They have a substantial, pretty home in this city and are much esteemed and respected by all who know them. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Dixon being one of the trustees of the same. He gives liberally of his means to the support of the poor and needy and to the cause of religion.

DWARD P. DAVIS is register of wills in Worcester County, having been elected to the office November 2, 1897; he occupied the position of deputy for thirteen years prior to this, and is painstaking, accurate and systematic in every detail of his work. He had a hard fight for the office but was in the lead on his ticket, thirty- four votes at the polls. He is recognized as a man of unusual ability, clearness of thought, good judgment and fidelity in the discharge of the least of his duties. He has been an earnest advocate of the principles of the Democracy since attaining his majority and undoubtedly will be called upon in the future to occupy more respon- sible positions of public trust than he has held in the past.

The father of our subject is James E. Davis, who is one of the so-called landmarks of this county. He is eighty-three years of age, and is

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the oldest voter in the county. His wife, Eliza- beth, who died in 1869, at the age of fifty-five years, was a daughter of Purnell Johnson, who came from an old family on the Eastern Shore. The Davises have, with few exceptions, been farmers and have been prosperous, peace-loving people, who preferred to keep in the "even tenor of their way" to branching out into professional or com- mercial life. The great-grandfather of our sub- ject, Nathaniel Davis, was a native of North Carolina and brought his wife and family to this county in the early part of the eighteenth century. One of his children was Edward, the grandfather of Edward P. Davis of this article.

With his two brothers, John Porter and Will- iam Thomas, Edward P. Davis grew to manhood in this, their native county. The brother Will- iam T. died when he was in his twenty-third year. The other brother married Anna Jones, of Stockton, Md., and left two children, Edward and Marguerite, at his death, which occurred when he was forty-six years of age. He was a farmer and also somewhat of a mechanic. The birth of Edward P. Davis occurred April 1, 1843, within four miles of Snow Hill, on his father's farm. He early developed a taste for farming but was kept in school until he was about seven- teen. Shortly after completing his education, and before he was yet eighteen he took charge of his first school as a teacher and was thus occupied for several years. He was fond of working with tools, and following out this natural bent, became master of the wheelwright's trade. He has since been employed at his trade, as a farmer and has also conducted Ocean View House a part of each year for a long time. This favorite resort is located upon his own farin at Spence's Landing, and is but six and a-half miles from Snow Hill. In 1883 Mr. Davis became deputy under George P. Bratten, register of wills, and after that gentle- man's death continued under the succeeding registers until elected to fill the office himself.

In 1871 Mr. Davis married Mrs. Susan L. Boelim, of Cumberland, Md. She was the widow of Louis C. Boehm, a division superintendent on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Cumber- land and Wheeling. By that marriage Mrs.

Davis had three children: Louis E., an artist of Snow Hill; Charles L., of Baltimore, with the Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railroad Com- pany; and Alice H., the wife of Dr. L. S. Barnes, of Toledo, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of All Hallows Episcopal Church of Snow Hill, in which he has been a vestryman for many years.

HARLES W. CROCKETT, of Pocomoke City, Worcester County, is one of our most thorough-going business men. He is justly entitled to be termed self-made, for to himself alone does he owe the position of affluence and respect that he now maintains in society and the commercial world. He has been connected with the ship-builders' trade since he was a mere lad of thirteen years and for the past thirty years has been engaged in this business in Pocomoke City. From a humble place he steadily worked his way upward until he is now the owner of one of the largest ship yards in the county, it being known as the Worcester & Marine Railway, and is able to give employment to twenty or more men.

A son of Daniel J. and Saralı Crockett, our sub- ject was born on their farm near Princess Anne, Somerset County, June 4, 1854. The first thir- teen years of his life were passed upon the old homestead, after which he began working for his father as a ship builder. He continued in his employ for some twelve years and then went into the ship yards of Young & Colbourn, of this city. He was soon promoted to the place of foreman, and served the firm in that capacity for twelve years. He was thrifty and industrious, and as a result of these qualities was at length enabled to buy a half-interest in the business in 1890. Since that time he has been practically the manager of the enterprise, and in 1892 he became the sole owner of the plant. Under his supervision there are constructed naphtha and steam launches, oyster boats, and various kinds of ships and vessels for the coast trade, besides a general line of repairing, etc., is done. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and in his political con-

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victions is a Democrat. He is a man of integrity and uprightness in word and deed, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of all with whom he comes into contact. He is a member of the Methodist Protestant Church and is a liberal giver to its support.

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Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 59

Author: Chapman Publishing Company Publication date: 1898 Publisher: New York, Chapman pub. co. Number of Pages: 906

Author: Chapman Publishing Company
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: New York, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 906