Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 97

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

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January 4, 1867, Mr. Lynch and Elizabeth Dudley were united in marriage. Four bright sons came to bless their hearthstone and they are all now well- informed, practical young men, who are a credit to their parents and worthy of their pride. J. Dudley is a resident of Philadelphia; Willard N. is a bookkeeper for a well-known

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Philadelphia firm; and the two younger, Harry F. and J. Holton, are at home, and lend their strong arms in willing help in all of the arduous farm work.

DWIN DASHIELL, JR., is one of the most energetic and popular business men of Cambridge, and is always in the forefront of any movement designed for the general welfare or the advancement of the prosperity of this place. He is conducting a large and growing insurance business, and now represents thirteen of the leading and reliable companies of England and America. Formerly he was the agent for life, marine and fire insurance companies, but now confines his attention chiefly to that last men- tioned. He is much interested in the development of the natural resources of Dorchester County, and has made ventures in real-estate investments here with good results.

Edwin Dashiell, Sr., was born near New Church, Accomac County, Va., and formerly carried on a large and valuable farm near Buck- town in this county. At one time he was very well-off in this world's goods, but lost much of his wealth by generosity to friends and too great trust in others. He is now a resident of Cambridge, and is in the seventieth year of his age. About twenty years ago he was the sheriff of this county, and was a very influential man in his home neighborhood. He married Ellen L. Gordon, of Somerset County, now within the limits of Wicomico County. She is still living and is also about three-score and ten years of age. Of their five children all but one grew to maturity, viz .: Edwin, Milton, Aurelia, J. and Helena E.

Born April 13, 1857, at a place called Keene's Ditch, in Dorchester County, our subject was reared upon his father's farm near Bucktown, and was educated in the district school there. When he was about sixteen he set forth to make his own living and obtained a clerkship in a general store in Bucktown. He found that he needed a greater fund of special knowledge than

he yet possessed and many a night did he burn the midnight oil while he pursued his higher studies industriously by himself. At length he applied for a position as a teacher, and, after passing the required examinations, he was placed in charge of a school at Hills Point. There he taught for about two years with gratifying success, after which he came to this place and opened an office for the sale of fertilizer, and represented his house during the season in Cambridge, trav- eling the remainder of the year as a general agent in Delaware, Virginia, Maryland and parts of Pennsylvania. While at Centreville one day he met a brother of Senator Gibson, an insurance man, and after conversing with him he decided that he would also go into that business. Thus he has been occupied up to the present time and has made a success of his enterprise. He is identified with the Masonic order, being a member of Cambridge Lodge No. 66, A. F. & A. M .; with Hayward Chapter No. 29, R. A. M., and Chesapeake Commandery, having attained the degree of Knight Templar. In politics he is a Democrat.

June 4, 1890, he married Nora, daughter of Dr. James L. Bryan, an honored old resident of Cambridge. (See his sketch elsewhere.) To this estimable couple three children were born, viz .: Shirley, now three years of age; James Bryan, seventeen months, and one who died in infancy. The parents are members of the Episcopal Church, and are active in all good works.

HE POLK FAMILY. Among the distin- guished men who have made their home in the territory now comprised within the limits of Wicomico County may be mentioned Judge William Polk, associate judge of the court of appeals of Maryland and chief justice of the cir- cuit court of the district. His home was situated on the south side of Wicomico River, three miles above Green Hill. He was the father of Ann Polk and Col. James Polk, the latter born in Somerset County in 1794, and elected register of

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wills for Somerset County in 1818, which office he held for twenty-seven years. The daughter became the wife of Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia, who was candidate for vice-president on the Stephen A. Douglas ticket in 1860.

During the administration of James K. Polk, the position of collector of the port of Baltimore was held by Col. James Polk. The two families were related, the grandfather of President Polk having been a native of the Eastern Shore and a brother of Judge Polk's father. Esther, daughter of James Polk, became the wife of Enoch Louis Lowe, once governor of Maryland, one or two of whose sons were distinguished actors, especially Lucius Polk, of New York.

Several members of the Polk family rose to distinction in this and other states, some of them in North Carolina and Tennessee. There are some whothink that the original name was Pollock and that the ancestors came from the north of Ire- land, but others believe they came from Scotland. Mention in history is made of one of that name who married Magdeline, daughter of Lord Tasker, high chancellor of Ireland.

LIHU WHEATLEY, who has passed the three-score and ten years allotted to man by the psalmist, has always lived in Dor- chester County, his home now being in New Market district. He deserves great credit for what he has accomplished of success, for few men with his limited chances could have done better in the struggle for a livelihood. In his boyhood he was obliged to work early and late, and at the hardest kind of labor too. The result was that he was unable to obtain much of an education, and his knowledge has been gained in the rugged school of experience. He is a thrifty agriculturist and owns over four hundred acres of land in this neighborhood. Much of this property was formerly not considered very desirable land, but he has persevered in his ef- forts until he has literally made "the desert bloom and blossom like the rose." When the

writer visited his place the fields were beautiful seas of golden grain, the fine orchards were full of excellent ripening fruit, and even the rough and uncultivated spaces were lovely with the cheerful, nodding golden-rod.

The birth of Elihu Wheatley took place in the northern part of Dorchester County in 1824, he being a son of William Wheatley. As previously stated, the childhood of the boy was one of ardu- ous work, and but little time was his to spend in the happy sports natural to youth. However, he learned habits of industry and business that have been the basis of his prosperity in later life. Though he is small in stature he has always been quick and active, and no one ever had occasion to charge him with being lazy or idle. Now, as old age is creeping on, he is troubled more or less with rheumatism, but is still able to attend to his affairs about his several farms, and his mind was never clearer or more alert. In the matter of politics he is a Democrat.

Mr. Wheatley married Mary Stevens, and their four children lived to mature years. After the death of the mother Mr. Wheatley married again, the lady of his choice being Jennie Stevens, by whom he had four more children. Mrs . Wheat- ley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

HOMAS GALE. The position which Mr. Gale occupies is that of a shrewd and suc- cessful farmer of the third district of Kent County. Upon one of the best farms of this lo- cality he has made his home since 1867, and here he has engaged in raising the various cereals, together with some fruit. He is the owner of three farms aggregating six hundred acres of land, the management of which he personally superintends, though the manual labor is done by others. The success which has rewarded his efforts is the result of sound judgment and the spirit of enterprise that have impelled him in all his transactions.

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The Gale family is of English extraction and has always adliered to the faith of the Church of England. The first representative in this country came to America in 1694 and inade set- tlement in Kent County, engaging in farm pur- suits. Thomas Gale, grandfather of our subject, resided on Still Pond Neck, owning a farm there that is now the property of W. D. Pennington. For some time he held the position of county surveyor, then considered a very important office. He had two sons and three daughters, John, James, Martlia, Sarah and Mary. Major Gale, who attained prominence in the Mexican war, was a cousin of the family.

John Gale, father of our subject, spent his whole life upon a farm in Kent County, where he owned the Worton manor house, formerly the property of the Boardley family and near what is now known as Gale's wharf. By his first wife, who was Leonora Sutton, he had three children, but only one of these attained years of maturity, Thomas, the subject of this sketch. His second wife bore the maiden name of Sarah A. Rasin, and they had two children, now living, John and William R. The father was a prominent mem- ber of St. James' Methodist Protestant Church, in which he was steward for some time, and his interest in the welfare of the denomination con- tinued steadfast until death. Successful in his undertakings, he deserved especial credit because his prosperity came not by chance or luck nor by the assistance of friends, but by his own un- aided exertions. His death occurred in 1872, at the age of sixty-two years.

Upon a farm adjoining his present home the subject of this sketch was born in 1840, He was educated in the public schools and Washington College, and also took a course of study in the Agricultural College near Washington. About 1850 his father purchased the Eisenberry farm, to which he moved in 1867, and here he has since engaged in general farm pursuits, achiev- ing a success that places him in the ranks of the most influential farmers of the district. Polit- ically a Democrat, his interest in politics has never extended to a participation in public affairs, and though several times solicited to accept

nomination for office he has thus far never been prevailed upon to do so. In 1873 he married Rachel Parsons, daughter of Isaac Parsons, and they have one child, Lena.

DWARD ATKINSON POWELL, a resident of Trappe, Talbot County, Md., is the son of William N. Powell, who died in 1884, grandson of Howell Powell, Jr., and great-grand- son of Howell Powell, whose ancestors were of Welsh extraction and among the early settlers of the Quakers of Talbot County, whose family records in each branch of the family represented by the subject of this sketch are complete for many generations and form a part of the historical annals of Maryland.

Edward A. is the eldest of the present genera- tion, having been born near the village of Trappe February 6, 1851. Three sisters succeeded him, Elizabeth Needles, Hetty Anna and Sallie Kemp, all of whom have married. His mother was Sallie K. Atkinson, who died in the year 1889.

In 1883 Mr. Powell married Annie L. Maddin, of Wyoming, Del., to whom was born a daughter, Edith Needles, in 1884. Mr. Powell is a Re- publican in politics and at present one of the judges of the orphans' court of Talbot County. He has been honored many times with positions of trust, responsibility and judgment, and for years followed the footsteps of his father in being made treasurer of the almshouse for Talbot Coun- ty. He possessed an executive ability beyond that accorded to many individuals who have even greater opportunities thrust upon them. But his modest and retiring disposition, his aversion to notoriety, his abstemious and upright habits have contributed to make him exceeding strong in his own locality.

He finished his education at Westtown board- ing school in Pennsylvania, and after teaching in the institution for a short time he accepted a place as bookkeeper and accountant in a leading com- mercial house of Baltimore City, and held the po-

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sition for several years. A few years before his father's death he returned to the old homestead, took charge of his father's business, carried on the farms and later began merchandising in the village of Trappe, where he still conducts one of the largest stores in that section of the county.

OL. CHAUNCEY H. THOMPSON is living virtually retired from the busy cares and perplexing commotion of the great world on his beautiful homestead in St. Michael's district of Talbot County. He is a man whom all admire and respect, a man who was the architect of his own fortunes, one of distinctive characteristics, and one who fought for his principles and coun- try during the long, dark days of the civil con- flict. In times of peace as well as those of war he has been a loyal, upright citizen, endeavoring to do his entire duty toward his fellow-men, and thus merits the esteem of all.

The colonel comes from a family that has had many representatives in the professions and in military circles. He undoubtedly inherited from his ancestors courage and daring in a righteous cause, and a true military spirit. His paternal grandfather, John, enlisted in the Revolutionary war as a private soldier and served faithfully until the colonial rights were fully established. He was a native of Connecticut, and lived to an advanced age. The father of the colonel, Will- iam by name, was also a native of that state, but later moved to Jefferson County, N. Y., where he became a prosperous farmer. He offered his services and life, if need be, to his beloved land during the war of 1812, but was spared to wit- ness his country's triumph over her foe. He married a Miss Mary Chapen, of the Empire State, and three children born of their union grew to maturity. They were named respectively, Sarah, William and Chauncey. The father and mother both lived to a good old age, each dying when about eighty-four. They were for years connected with the Congregational Church, and were consistent Christians in their daily lives.

The birth of Col. C. H. Thompson took place in Huntington, Conn., in 1835, but he was scarcely a year old when his parents removed to New York State. There he grew to man's estate, being educated in the public schools and in a private academy. When he was about eighteen he commenced to learn the trade of harness- making and was thus occupied until the Civil war bega11. Among the first to respond to the presi- dent's call for troops was our subject, who en- listed in Company A, Tenth Indiana Infantry, as a private, for the three months' service. He continued actively engaged in warfare up to the battle of Rich Mountain, when he received a gunshot wound in the right thigh, from the effects of which he did not recover enough to resume his place in the ranks for nearly a year. Then he re-entered the service with the rank of captain, as he had organized the Fifth Indiana Cavalry, which chose him as their commander. He acted in this capacity for a year and a-half, when he was promoted to the post of senior major and for the greater part of 1864 was in command of the regiment. He went with Burnside on his famous eastern Tennessee campaign and was with Sher- man in Georgia. In July, 1864, he was captured at Macon, Ga., and was among the officers who were transferred to the prison at Charleston. I11 January, 1865, he was promoted for gallant and meritorious conduct to the rank of lieutenant- colonel, being duly commissioned, and it was not until the following September that his duties closed and he received his honorable discharge from the service.

Upon his return home the colonel resumed the business he had been formerly interested in, that of harness making, and conducted a retail store in Logansport, Ind., about five years. Thence going to the beautiful little city of Detroit, Mich., he was there engaged in the wholesale and retail harness manufacturing trade for another seven years. The succeeding twelve years he was lo- cated in the enterprising young city of Minne- apolis, Minn., still in his old business, and at the end of this period he felt entitled to the enjoy- ment of a quiet life during his declining years. With this idea in mind he looked around for a

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beautiful country home and healthful location, and eventually settled the matter by buying his present property here. He is independent in politics, and is a Mason of the thirty-second degree and also belongs to the Royal Arcanum.

February 22, 1871, was not merely notable for the fact that it was the anniversary of the birth of the father of liis country, in the estimation of at least two persons, for on that day the mar- riage of the colonel and Laura E. Gresham, of New York City, was celebrated. Her father, John Gresham, was a native of that metropolis, was the owner of large sawmills and was a well- known ship builder of New York and Albany. He died when in his sixty-fifth year, after having led a very busy, useful life. His father was a hero of the Revolutionary war. The mother of Mrs. Thompson was about fifty-two years old at the time of her demise. Of her five children only Mrs. Thompson and a son, James, survive. To the colonel and his worthy wife four children have been born, three living: Carrie, who is still with them; Charles H., now engaged in chemical laboratory work in New York; and Edith May, who is at home.

ILLIAM W. HEARN is a wealthy farmer of the third district of Dorchester County and is one of our representative citizens. It was over thirty years ago, in 1865, that he purchased his beautiful homestead known as Maple Grove. It comprises four hundred and forty-eight acres, and is improved with good build- ings and fences, and the fields are carefully tilled and produce abundant harvests annually. He has been engaged in agriculture for the past forty years and has made a success of the vocation.

William Hearn, the first of the family to settle in America, came from England, and though he located within what was then the limits of Dor- chester County, his home was placed upon the Delaware side when the Mason and Dixon's line was established, to decide the disputes between Lord Baltimore and William Penn. One of the

companions of William Hearn in his early settle- ment here was Jordan Hairun, who had a barony in Northumberland, dating back to the time of King Henry I., A. D. 1100. W. W. Hearn has in his possession a history (in book form) of the Hearn family, tracing its lineage back to A. D. 1066, when one of the name went with William the Conqueror from Normandy to England, and the annals of the succeeding generation are chron- icled down to William, to whom reference is made at the beginning of this paragraph. There were many gallant soldiers, statesmen and professional men among them, and one of them, Sir William Hearn, Knight of Maidenhead, Berks, was high sheriff of London in 1797, and his ancestor, Sir Richard Hearn, held the same exalted position in 1618.

The paternal grandfather of our subject was the William Hearn mentioned above, and his father was Josiah, the first Hearn born in Amer- ica, of this branch at least. He was a native of Sussex County, Del., and died in 1837, at the close of a good and fairly successful life, viewed from a financial standpoint. He was much es- teemed by those who knew him best, and was kind-hearted and generous toward those less for- tunate than himself. He married Sarah Lowe, of the same state, and of their seven children but two survive, Benjamin B., of Cambridge, Md., and W. W. The mother departed this life in 1848.

W. W. Hearn is a native of Sussex County, Del., born November 22, 1824. As his father died when he was young, the lad had to leave school at an early age, and learned the trade of cabinet and wagon making, working in Laurel, Del., about seven years. On New Year's day, 1846, he came to Vienna, and in partnership with a brother opened a shop and carried on his old occupation here for several years. In 1857 he began to carry on farms, and rented different ones in the county until 1865, when he perma- nently settled upon his fine place, Maple Grove farm. In his political faith he is a Democrat, and in 1887 held the office of assessor of this dis- trict. He has been a hard worker, and has truly been the architect of his own fortunes. Among

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his fellow-citizens he is highly regarded and all wish him well. He is a member of the Baptist Church, and is a deacon in the congregation.

The first wife of Mr. Hearn was a Miss Mary Nichols, who died in 1858, and of their four chil- dren but one, William R., survives, he being a resident of Cambridge. Later he married Mrs. Esther Ann Robinson, who was summoned to her reward in 1895, leaving a son and daughter, Charles B., of Baltimore, and Henrietta, living at home. The lady who now bears the name of our subject was formerly Miss Sophia Smith, and their marriage was solemnized July 14, 1896.

OLLISON WADDELL is a venerable and highly respected citizen of the fourth dis- trict of Caroline County and during his almost four-score and ten years has been a witness of vast changes and improvements in this portion of Maryland. He has been a very busy, active man, and is still sound in mind and body, not- withstanding his advanced age. His property, to the amount of nearly seven hundred acres, was amassed entirely by his own efforts, and speaks eloquently of how he mastered the difficulties in his pathway and won success by persevering in- dustry. It is a great pleasure to engage in con- versation with this worthy man, for he has wide and varied experience, having traveled in various parts of the world, and is a most interesting speaker. For a number of years in his young manhood he sailed the high seas and touched at nearly every important point in Europe.

The Waddell family has been long and promi- nently known in the annals of Maryland. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Alex- ander Waddell, and his parents were William and Nancy Waddell, the latter a daughter of Daniel Cheezum, of this county. Collison Waddell was born in this county in 1810 and passed his youth hereabout. Then followed a number of years spent upon the briny deep, and in 1841 he settled down as an agriculturist in Dorchester County. Four years later he came to Caroline County, and

bought land near Bethlehem, which property he has owned and supervised for over half a century with undoubted ability.

In 1841 Mr. Waddell chose as his helpmate and life's companion Henrietta, daughter of James A. Mowbray, of Dorchester County, and to them were born the following children: Will- iam Bishop; James W., of Cambridge; Columbus, of Hurlock, Md .; Victoria, who died when young; David F., of Felton, Del .; Winfield, M., of Otterbein, Ind .; and Thomas Collison and Walter Scott, of the same place. W. M. and T. C. are prosperous merchants; and W. S. is a farmer and stock-raiser of that locality.

William Bishop Waddell, eldest son of our sub- ject, was born in Dorchester County, Md., in 1842, but was reared chiefly in this county. He passed his youth upon the farm where he now resides and received a liberal education. Hav- ing inherited a fancy for the sea, he sailed for about a year with Capt. C. S. Carmine, and during this time visited the West Indies. He was at Charleston, S. C., while the Civil war was in progress and heard the distant sounds of the mighty conflict that raged in that unfortunate city. Returning home, the young man settled upon a farm, and thenceforth devoted his energies to tilling the soil. He is now the owner of a beautiful tract of one hundred and ten acres, on which is situated his home; and another piece of property comprising one hundred and twenty-six acres not far away. He is quite independent in his political views, but has a leaning toward the principles of the Republican party. He has served as constable of the fourth district, but has never been an office seeker. He is a man of good general information and has traveled extensively in all parts of the United States. In 1891 he lo- cated in Indiana and was engaged in the fruit and vegetable packing business for two years, after which he returned to Maryland, with the inten- tion of remaining here permanently.

When he had arrived at his majority W. B. Waddell married Ella, daughter of Robert K. Collison, of this county, but she survived their union little more than a year, and their infant son, William Elwood, died in babyhood. For

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his second wife Mr. Waddell married Miss Ag- nes H., the daugliter of Robert and Helene (Lauder) Laing; the parents were born and mar- ried in Scotland. They became the parents of eight children, of whom the eldest, James M., is deceased. The others are: Ella B., William B., Jr., Grover S., Agnes H., Ira S., Rose M. and Walter Laing.

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Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 97

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