Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 66

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

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unusually fine advantages in an educational way, James A., Jr., a farmer of Talbot County; Walter as she attended academies and colleges for some D., a miller of the same county; A. Keener, a traveling salesman of Baltimore; Mrs. Rev. G. C. McSorley, Mrs. Roland Todd, Mrs. Rob- ert Wrightson and Miss Annie. nine years, and is thoroughly competent to teach the higher branches in any of the representative institutions of learning.

DWARD H. ROE, ex-register of wills for Talbot County, holds and merits a place among the representative citizens of Easton, and the story of his life, while not dramatic in action, is such a one as offers a typical example of that alert American spirit which enables many an individual to rise from obscurity to a position of influence and renown solely through native tal- ent indomitable perseverance and singleness of purpose. In making the record of such a life contemporary biography exercises its most con- sistent and important function.

In much the usual manner of farmer boys, Ed- ward H. Roe spent his childhood and youth, ac- quiring the greater part of his education in the country schools, but for one year lie was a stu- dent in the Easton high school. On the Ist of September, 1870, he entered the register's office under Tilghman N. Chance, and remained with him until he resigned in 1878. After Charles L. Mullikin's appointment he was still retained, al- though that gentleman was a Republican and our subject a Democrat. In 1879 Mr. Roe was first elected register and so acceptably did he discharge the duties of the office that he was continuously re-elected up to the close of 1897, when he retired from public life, having filled that responsible position in a most creditable manner for eighteen consecutive years. He has engaged in farming and also filled the position of cashier of the Farin- ers & Merchants' Bank of Easton.

Mr. Roe was born on the 28th of February, 1850, on a farm about five miles from East, in Talbot County, and is a worthy representative of In 1874 Mr. Roe led to the marriage altar Miss Lizzie Lewis, of Talbot Connty, who was for some time a successful school teacher. Her father, Hamilton Lewis, was a representative of a prominent Delaware family, and her only brother, T. H. Lewis, D. D., is a well-known educator, who is connected with the Western Maryland College. To Mr. and Mrs. Roe have been born five children: Hamilton Lewis, a law student now in Rushville, Ill .; and E. Homer, Thondyke, Florence and Virginia, who are all attending school. an old and highly respected family of the county, it being founded here shortly after the Revolu- tionary war by English emigrants. His grand- father, Edward Roe, followed the occupation of farming throughout life and was numbered among the leading citizens of the county. He had two sons who are still living: Edward T., also an agri- culturist; and James A., father of our subject, who was born in 1827, in Talbot County, where he has also engaged in farming as a life work. He has served as county assessor and for a num- ber of years has been crier for the courts. He Since attaining his majority Mr. Roe has taken a leading and influential part in local politics, is an ardent advocate of the principles of Democ- racy, and has done all in his power to promote the interest and insure the success of his party. Fraternally he is a third-degree Mason, is a charter member and secretary of the Royal Arca- num lodge of Easton, and is also a charter mem- ber of the Ancient Order of United Workmen of the same place. Socially he is deservedly popular, takes a prominent part in the work of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, in which he has long held membership, and has the confidence and respect of all who know him. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Martha A. Dean, was also a native of Talbot County, and belonged to one of its honored families, her father being Henry Dean. She died when our subject was about twenty years of age. He was the eldest of her ten chil- dren, two of whom are deceased, the others being: . as he is affable and courteous in manner and pos-

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sesses that essential qualification to success in . ness and clearness that are alike creditable to his public life, that of making friends readily and ability as a lawyer and his talent as a writer." strengthening the ties of all friendships as time advances.

D LAYTON J. PURNELL, of the Worcester County bar, has for years been recognized as one of the ablest lawyers in the first ju- dicial circuit of Maryland. At this writing, un- fortunately, he is incapacitated for active profes- sional work, owing to a stroke of paralysis that paralyzed the entire left side. This was caused by overwork, for he has been a man of tireless energy, and one who exercised to their utmost the large mental faculties with which he is en- dowed. To the profession in Maryland he is well known as the author of "The Law of Insol- vency of Maryland; with Forms of Procedure," of which the legislature ordered three hundred volumes. The work is an octavo, bound in sheep, and interleaved for observations and annotations. Of this work the highest praise has been given by the press and the bar. We have space for but a few of these.

Baltimore Sun: "A new treatise on insolvent law in Maryland is rendered valuable by the recent changes, the repeal of the national bank- rupt act, and the lapse of time since the different decisions of our court have been brought together in proper connection. Insolvency is a matter which should be understood, not only by the law- yer, but by the general trader, and fortunately it is neither so complicated, nor is the volume be- fore 11s so large or abstruse, that a fair understand- ing by non-legal minds cannot be obtained of the subject. The entire statute of insolvency is given in an appendix, together with a list of forms, and the book is interleaved for observations and new decisions."

Baltimore American: "This is a volume which is needed, and which undoubtedly will receive the welcome that its merits deserve. Mr. Purnell has given the entire law, with the forms of pro- cedure, and has presented the subject with a full-

Baltimore Morning Herald : "This book de- serves a place in every law student's library."

Maryland Law Record: "It is essential to every working lawyer in the state." Hon. John P. Poe, professor of law in the University of Maryland: "Your book will fill a long-felt want. You have undoubtedly succeeded in giving us a complete and perspicuous and at the same time accurate and exact book." Hon. E. K. Wilson, United States senator: "I believe it will supply a want that is becoming more and more felt amongst the profession, and will prove a great convenience even to the old practitioner and al- most essential to the inexperienced." Hon. Charles B. Roberts, attorney-general of Mary- land: "It appropriately meets a growing need for just such a work and it cannot fail to be useful to both the bench and the bar of the state."

On the Rochester farm, near Snow Hill, Wor- cester County, the subject of this article was born January 22, 1856, to John M. and Sarah A. (Leonard) Purnell. His father, who was county commissioner for a number of years, died in 1889, at sixty-five years of age. The wife and mother is living in Snow Hill, and is now sixty-four years of age. They were the parents of six children, but one daughter, Annie B., died at eleven years, and another of the same name died in infancy. Leonard D. graduated in medicine from the Uni- versity of Maryland, but died of typhoid fever the day he received his diploma. Clayton J. is next in order of birth. Perry W. died when in his twenty-first year. Ella L. resides with her mother in Snow Hill.

When our subject was two years of age his parents removed from the country into the town of Snow Hill, and there and at the Maryland Agricultural College he received his education. At the age of eighteen he entered the office of the clerk of court, I. T. Matthews, and served as deputy for four years, meantime reading law with George W. Purnell. He was admitted to the bar on the twenty-first anniversary of his birth, being examined in open court by Judge Franklin. He continued in the office of the clerk of court until

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January 1, 1878, when he opened a law office in Snow Hill, and from that time was active and prominent in the profession until May 24, 1895, when he was stricken with paralysis. From 1886 to 1891 he was examiner of public schools for Worcester County. In 1893 he was a candidate for associate judge for the first judicial circuit of Maryland, his opponent being Judge Henry Lloyd, of Dorchester County. After six thousand ballots had been cast, the deadlock was broken by the nomination of Judges Page, Lloyd and Holland, the present judges. This deadlock was in many respects one of the most remarkable that lias ever occurred. The convention met at Ocean City, September 5, 1893. Judge Chiarles F. Hol- land, of Wicomico County, was pitted against Judge Henry Page, of Somerset County, and our subject against Henry Lloyd, of Dorches- ter County. Each county had four votes. Wi- comico and Worcester voted solidly for Holland and Purnell, while Dorchester and Somerset voted for Page and Lloyd. Failing to nominate at Ocean City the convention adjourned to Cam- bridge, where the contest was continued. In- numerable ballots failing to break the eight to eight, convention adjourned to meet at Salisbury, where the contest was resumed, but without breaking the deadlock, and the convention ad- journed to Princess Anne. It was feared that no nominations might be made. Finally, on the five thousand six hundred and fiftieth ballot, Gov. E. E. Jackson, upon behalf of Wicomico, withdrew Holland for chief-justiceship, and this resulted in the nomination of Judge Henry Page for chief justice, and Charles F. Holland and Henry Lloyd for associates. This long contest was widely commented upon in the newspapers of the day throughout the state, and all of the newspaper articles admitted that Clayton J. Pur- nell was the peer of any of the contestants in point of legal ability and fitness for the bench.

Under Governor Brown, the appointment of director of the Maryland Agricultural College was tendered Mr. Purnell, and he is now one of twelve directors of that college. In politics he has always been a Democrat, while in religious belief he is a Presbyterian, contributing gen-

erously to the support of the denomination with which he is identified. In the organization of the First National Bank of Snow Hill, in 1888, he took an active part, and has since been one of tlie directors of the institution, as well as counsel of the board of directors since their first meeting. He was also one of the promoters of the Poco- mioke City National Bank, of which he is vice- president and counsel.

In 1880 Mr. Purnell married Miss Ella A., daughter of Dr. Edward Hubbell, who for many years was register of wills for Worcester County and a well-known resident of Snow Hill. They are the parents of three children, of whom two are living, May H. and Bessie L. The summers of 1892 and 1894 were spent by Mr. Purnell in traveling in Europe.

ON. CHARLES F. HOLLAND, circuit judge of the first judicial district of Mary- land, was born in Sussex County, Del., and is a son of Elisha and Louisa (White) Holland, also natives of that county. He is the third of five children, all but one of whom are now living. In the place where he was born April 3, 1841, the years of his boyhood were uneventfully passed, his education being obtained in the public schools and Milton Academy, and subsequently he pursued a classical course at Milford. After graduating when in his twenty-first year, he be- gan the study of the law in the office of Judge Layton, of Georgetown, Del., and in 1866 was admitted to the bar of Delaware. For one year he engaged in practice with the judge at George- town, and then in 1868 came to Wicomico County, which had been formed in the fall of 1867. But one terin of court had been held at the time he settled here. He built up a large practice and became well known as a lawyer.

A stanch Democrat, Judge Holland has taken an active interest in public affairs. He refused the nomination for state's attorney. Upon the election of Judge Wilson to the United States senate in December, 1884, Judge Holland was

JAMES S. CHAPLAIN, M. D.

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appointed to fill the unexpired term, and in the next judicial election he was nominated for the position by his party, receiving the election. He is a man of fine judicial mind, and all his decisions have been affirmed when appealed to the highest court of the state. Fraternally he is a member of Chesapeake Chapter No. 17, R. A. M., and in religious belief is an Episcopalian, holding office as vestryman in St. Peter's Church of Salisbury.

AMES STEVENS CHAPLAIN, M. D., president of the Trappe Savings Bank and president of a branch of the Baltimore Build- ing and Loan Association in Trappe, is one of the successful physicians of Talbot County. The family of which he is a member traces its lineage to early settlers of Maryland. The first of the name here was Francis Chaplain, who came from Suffolk, England, about the year 1660 and set- tled in Talbot County. June 16, 1684, he bought a tract of land from Cornelius Mulrain, consisting of five hundred acres on Bolinbroke Creek, giv- ing in exchange therefor seven thousand pounds of "good, sound, merchantable tobacco in casque." He owned about a thousand acres of land, much of which is now in the possession of his descend- ants. One of his descendants has an original deed of his in which he wrote his name Chaplin, but his great-grandson Francis wrote the name Chaplain, and this spelling has since been re- tained by the descendants. He was a member of the Church of England and a vestryman of White Marsh parish. His occupation was that of a planter. He died August 27, 1707, and his wife, Martha, in 1700.

Their only son, James Chaplain, born in 1670, married Elizabeth White February 20, 1704, and died February 17, 1708. They had two sons, James and Francis. The former, born Novem- ber 17, 1706, married Elizabeth Martin June 5, 1728, and died in February, 1776. Of their six children, two were twins, Francis and Thomas, born June 29, 1731. Francis and his wife, Mar- garet, had two children, Francis and James.

Francis, born February 16, 1757, married Mar- garet Jenkins January 9, 1783, and died in No- vember, 1786. He had one son, James, born November 23, 1783, who married Eliza Stevens December 16, 1823, and died April 28, 1844, his wife surviving him until August 31, 1888. Their oldest child, John Francis Chaplain, D.D., a member of the Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church and well known on the Eastern Shore, died in 1880, when in his fifty-sixth year. Another son, Prof. Alexander Chaplain, has been secretary and examiner of the schools of Talbot County for the past twenty- nine years and still fills that position. The two daughters were Sarah, wife of James L. Robin- son, and deceased in 1895; and Mary Elizabeth, Mrs. Thomas J. Willis, of Kent County, Md., who died in 1897.

The second child of James and Eliza (Stevens) Chaplain, was James Stevens Chaplain, who was born in Trappe, Talbot County, Md., May 5, 1827. After graduating from the high school he entered the drug store of Richard F. Hemsley in Easton in 1843. The proprietor thoroughly understood the business and took especial pains in training the boys in his store, so that at the end of three years his clerk was thoroughly com- petent to take charge of one of the leading drug stores in Baltimore. Accordingly he removed to Baltimore and accepted the position of chief clerk in Littlefield's drug store on North Charles street, where he remained for six years. During the latter part of the time he studied medicine under Dr. Thomas H. Buckler, who kindly lent him books and other necessities for study, and who still resides in Baltimore.

Under the tuition of Prof. George W. Milten- berger, our subject attended the medical lectures in the University of Maryland, from which he graduated in 1854. Immediately afterward he located in his native town, and entered into the practice of medicine, which he has ardently and successfully pursued for the past forty-three years. November 9, 1854, he married Evelina, daugh- ter of Dr. Samuel T. Kemp, a leading physician of Trappe. Two children were born of the union: Louis, who studied medicine, graduated from the

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University of Maryland in 1877 and died two years afterward; and Ella, who died unmarried in 1882.

In politics the doctor is thoroughly Demo- cratic. In the early years of his manhood lie took a great deal of interest in Masonry, having been made a Mason in Washington Lodge No. 3, in Baltimore, in 1851. For a number of years lie was worshipful master of Burns Lodge and in 1860 lie was junior grand warden of the grand lodge of Maryland. Playing games of backga111- mon witli his wife is one of his favorite amuse- ments during the winter evenings. Of temper- ate habits, he does not use tobacco and has never taken a drink of whiskey. He is an enthusiastic admirer of the wheel for ladies as well as gentle- men, though for himself he prefers a horse and carriage for locomotion. The doctor and his wife hold fellowship with the Methodist Episcopal Church Southi. This congregation was organized thirty-one years ago in Trappe, and since that time he has been a steward and trustee.

A LBERT E. WELSH was born upon the farm whereon he lives and has managed the same himself for the past eighteen years. It is situated in Trappe district, Talbot County, and comprises one hundred and twenty-two acres of the original old homestead long in the family. The Welshes are of English origin, but for sev- eral generations have been identified with the upbuilding of this county. They have adhered to the principles advocated by the Democratic party, but have never sought to have public honors bestowed upon them, their tastes running in more quiet, unassuming channels.

Robert, father of our subject, was born on the old farm now cultivated by him, in 1812, and is still living here and enjoys pretty fair health, though he is well along in years. His father was William, also a native of this place, and whose death occurred when he was about fifty-four years old. He, in turn, was a son of one Thomas Welsh, who was the founder of this branch of the

family in Maryland. Robert was one of the four children of William and Sally (Harrington) Welsh, the others being: Annie, who married Abner Parrott; Mary, who died in her sixty-first year, and Caroline, who died when in her thirty- first year. Their mother lived to be scarcely two- score years old. Robert Welsh remained upon the farm until he was fifteen, when he went to Baltimore, and there learned the brickmaker's trade. He lived in that city about ten years, and then returning to Trappe, was actively engaged in contracting and building for many years. The last house which he put up was that erected for I. D. Clark, but now owned by Capt. George Jenkins. In addition to this he carried on liis farnı and succeeded very well in his various undertakings. In 1837 he married Margaret Jane Bagswell, who died in 1891, aged seventy- two years. She was the mother of thirteen chil- dren, as follows: William, Emmett, Thomas, Ida, Ella, Robert, Albert, Charles, Margaret and three who died in infancy. William and Thomas, Ella (who was the wife of John P. Holmes) and Ida are all deceased. Mary married George A. Mullican. Charles is a farmer of this district.

Albert E. Welsh was born October 28, 1854, and with the exception of two years has always resided here. He was married in 1878 to Miss Ella Parsons, of Oxford, and they have three children: Leila B., who is at present attending school in West Chester, Pa .; Margaret H. and Mary E., at home.

OHN DALE, M. D., has been numbered among the leading physicians of Princess Anne, Somerset County, for over twenty years, as he located here soon after starting in his professional career, and rapidly acquired practice in the best families of the vicinity. He has been the surgeon for the New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk Railway at this point for a long time. Though strong in his preference for the Democ- racy, he is not an aspirant for official positions, as he finds his time fully occupied in attending to the demands of his clientage.

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Born October 15, 1851, in Kent County, Md., the doctor is a son of Rev. William Dale, who was for years actively engaged in the ministry of the :Methodist Protestant Church, but was obliged to retire on account of poor health, though he oc- casionally occupies the pulpit still. He is a resi- dent of Pocomoke City, Md., and is the president of the First National Bank there. He was born in Worcester County, Md., and entered the church when in early manhood, and for a few years was lo- cated in Chestertown or that section of the state. Since then he has dealt within the boundaries of his native county, and was occupied in farming for a period, when, his health being greatly improved, he removed to the town where he is now living. At seventy-five he is in the possession of almost perfect health, and is an interested worker in the. church and in various movements which are cal- culated to benefit his community. Politically he is identified with the Democracy. His father, John Dale, was also a native of Worcester County, and there passed his entire life as a farmer. He was very successful as a business man, and was the owner of large tracts of land. He was a sup- porter of the local Democracy, and was once a commissioner of his county. Born in 1801, he was about seventy-two years of age at the time of his demise in 1873. Rev. Mr. Dale has always been deeply concerned in the cause of education and was not only a school commissioner for years, but was a member of the state board of education for a long time, resigning when a Republican governor was elected. The Dales are of English extraction. The wife of Rev. Mr. Dale was a Miss Mary Jones in her maidenhood. She was a native of Kent County, and was but thirty-two years old when she was summoned to the home beyond. She left three children, viz .: Charles G., a farmer of the vicinity of Pocomoke City, Md .; John, of this sketch; and Ella, wife of Will- iam S. McMaster, an attorney-at-law of Princess Anne.

Dr. Dale was a child of scarcely five years when death deprived him of the love and care of his fond mother: Soon after that event the family removed to the farm in Worcester County, and there the lad grew to maturity, his primary edu-

cation being obtained in the public school. About 1869 he was enrolled as one of the stu- dents of the Western Maryland College, at West- minster, Md., he being admitted to the junior class. At the end of two years he had finished the required course at that well-known institution of learning, and, coming to Princess Anne, he read medicine with Drs. Morris and Briscoe for nearly a year. Then going to New York he grad- uated from Bellevue Hospital and Medical Col- lege in 1874, and soon settled permanently in this town, where he has been in continuous and suc- cessful practice since. He is a member of the Masonic order, being connected with the blue lodge of this place.

October 2, 1879, the doctor married Miss Sallie Cook, of Philadelphia, and they have had two children: Richard, and Edgar, deceased. Mrs. Dale is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and the doctor officiates on the board of trustees of the congregation, though he is not a member of the same.

ENRY BELL has resided for the past fifteen years in the seventh district of Caroline County, and is one of our most esteemed citizens. He was born in this county and here were spent the happy years of his childhood, so in old age he returned to the home and scenes of his youth, as the place of most hallowed mem- ories and associations. In his prime he was one of the most energetic and enterprising of busi- ness men, and in the varied occupations in which he was engaged he usually met with success, though he has lost more of a fortune than it falls to the lot of most men to acquire in a lifetime, and still has a comfortable one left. For many years he was numbered among the prominent citizens of Delaware County, Ohio, and served as its county commissioner, and also represented it in the Ohio state legislature one term, having been elected on the Democratic ticket, with which party he has been associated since becoming a voter.

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The paternal grandfather of our subject, Selva Bell, was a native of Scotland, and came to Ai11- erica with his father, Col. William Bell, prior to the war of the Revolution, in which conflict the last-named gentleman won his title by gallant service. The parents of Henry Bell were Joseph and Frances (Lacompt) Bell, both natives of Caroline County, and their only child was a daughter, Mary A., now deceased. The father was a farmer by occupation and both parents were loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and most sterling people, whom every- body respected and loved.

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Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 66

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