USA > Maryland > Portrait and biographical record of the Sixth congressional district, Maryland V. 1 > Part 16
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Rev. C. L. Keedy was born upon the parental homestead in this county, March 20, 1834, and there spent his boyhood. He was educated in the higher branches of learning in the Gettysburg (Pa.) College, graduating therefrom in 1857. Two years later, in 1859, he entered upon his ministerial career. For four years he was the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Johnstown, Pa., after which he went to Philadelphia, and was in charge of the Barren Hill Lutheran Church for some time. About this time he decided that he would prepare himself for the medical field of work, and, having taken the required course of study, he settled in Washington, Iowa, where he was engaged in practice about five ycars. Return- ing then to the Keystone state he resumed his ministerial labors, being the pastor of a church in Waynesboro, Pa., nearly five years. Since that time he has held the position of president of the Kee Mar College, which is under the auspices of the Lutheran Church, and was founded in 1851. Unlike many other schools and colleges in the south it managed to hold its own during the Civil war, and usually has enrolled about one hundred pupils. For fifteen years past a class averaging eighteen students has been graduated each year and a high standard is maintained. The faculty of the school comprises fifteen teach- ers, one of whom is Mrs. Elizabeth Kcedy, wife of our subject, and vice-president of the college for twenty-three years. She is also an able and efficient teacher, and to her excellent judgment is due much of the prosperity that attends the college. She is a daughter of Alexander Mar- bourg, who was an enterprising merchant of Johnstown, Pa., for a great many years, and her marriage with Mr. Keedy was solemnized at her home in Johnstown, May 1, 1860. The five children who grace their union are Sallie K .. wife of William M. Updegraff, Jr., of this city; J. Marbourg, an attorney-at-law of Hagerstown; Wyatt M., who died at the age of twenty-eight ycars, and for five years had been city clerk of Hagerstown; C. King and C. L., both at home with their parents. J. Marbourg chose for his wife Miss Sallie Lynch, and has two sons, Mar- bourg and Cornelius.
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ON. JOHN RITCHIE. Though just a dec- ade has passed since the earthly labors of this distinguished citizen of Frederick ceased, his memory is as sincerely cherished in the hearts of a multitude of those whom he had endeared to himself by his noble qualities, as though he had left them but yesterday. His life was conspicu- ous for many things; chief among which was his partiotism and love of country and his strict fidel- ity to duty. At the time of his deathi he was, as is well known, still serving in the high position of chief judge of the sixth judicial circuit and judge of the court of appeals, which honor had been ac- corded him by the will of his fellow-citizens, who had elected him for a term of fifteen years, in November, I881. Less than six years, however, was it his lot to sit on the bench, as on October 27, 1887, he was summoned to a higher court, and those who knew him best and who fairly measured his true Christian manhood, had 110 doubt that the Supreme Judge said to him, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." He was built on a heroic mould, being over six feet tall, with a commanding appearance and a magnificent head. His features were purely classic, the ex- pression on his face was genial and pleasant, es- pecially so when lit up with a merry twinkle in his luminous blue eyes.
The father of the judge was Dr. Albert Ritchie, who was born near Frederick, on the family es- tate, November 16, 1803. By a strange coinci- dence a portion of this farin was purchased for Mount Olivet Cemetery and when he died he was placed to rest in a grave overlooked by the win- dows of the room in which he was born. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1826 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine and establishing himself in Frederick, continued to practice his profession until about a year before his death, which occurred January 16, 1858. He was very successful in his profession and was also highly regarded socially. For years he was a faithful member of the Episcopal Church and for two decades was the president of the Young Men's Bible Class, besides being superintendent of the Sunday-school. His first wife was Cathe-
rine Lackland Davis, daughter of Ignatius and Catherine Davis, the former a wealthy farmer of Buckeystown, Frederick County. Five children were born of this marriage, but the three daugh- ters died in infancy or early childhood. Judge Albert Ritchie, the second son of Dr. Ritchie, is a a prominent member of the Baltimore bench and bar. The mother died September 14, 1842, aged twenty-eight years. Later Dr. Ritchie married Louisa, daughter of Benjamin D. and Charlotte Packard, of New York. She died June 14, 1857, leaving two children, Mary Louise and William, the latter a member of the Chicago bar and an attorney of that city.
The paternal grandfather of Judge Ritchie was Col. John Ritchie, born July 9, 1757, on the old homestead near Frederick. He first married Catherine Beatty, who died October 30, 1792, leaving two children, Mary and Thomas. The daughter became the wife of Dr. David Ott, of Georgetown. He died June 2, 1830, and she passed away July 14, 1845. Thomas, born Sep- tember 17, 1790, imarried Mary M. Knapp, of New York City; he was a minister in the Baptist Church and died in Iowa, April 1, 1855. The father of Catherine Beatty was Thomas Beatty, of a fine old family of Frederick County, his home being in Creagerstown. He was one of the twelve judges of western Maryland of his time and was one of the original signers to the cele- brated protest against the British Stamp Act, one of the immediate causes of the Revolution. In1 that conflict he served with distinction, from start to close, rising to the rank of captain. He was a member of the Baptist Churchi.
The second wife of Col. John Ritchie was Ann Barnhold, of Philadelphia, whom he married April 5, 1801. Their children were William Neilson; Albert; Annalanah, who married Rev. Daniel Newell, of New York; and one that died in infancy. The founder of the Ritchie family in America was William, son of Thomas Ritchie, of Angus County, Scotland, who came to this country about 1743 and became an extensive land owner. He married Mary Middaugh, daugh- ter of Capt. John and Mary Beatty, and their
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children were William, Matthew, John, Susanna, Mary, Zachariah and Abner. He died October 19, 1765, at the age of forty-nine years.
The subject of this sketch was born in Fred- erick, August 12, 1831. He was educated in Frederick Academy. After studying medicine, which he found not to his taste, for a time he took up law under the instruction of Judge Will- iam Pinkney Maulsby, and subsequently entered the law department of Harvard University. After his graduation he commenced to practice in Frederick and in 1867 was elected state's attorney for Frederick County. Before his term had ex- pired he was elected to congress, as the candidate of the Democratic party, and subsequently was renominated, but was defeated by his opponent, Mr. Lowndes, now governor of Maryland. At the time of the noted raid of John Brown at Harper's Ferry he was captain of a company of volunteers, and his command was ordered to the scene of operations.
In March, 1881, upon the death of Judge Bowie, Mr. Ritchie was appointed to fill the un- expired term, and so well did he carry out every duty that he was elected in the fall of the same year. His record as a private citizen and as an officer and exponent of the law was above re- proach, and was characterized by a high sense of honor, fairness and impartial justice. In 1876 he represented the state of Maryland as commis- sioner at the Centennial. As an orator he was easily the first in the state. While in congress he distinguished himself in the discussions of the sessions of 1870-72. As a lawyer he possessed marked ability. As a pleader before the courts he was also especially forceful. In his public speeches, his keen scene of the ludicrous, ready wit, and broad knowledge of men and things, en- abled him to present his cause in such a logical and eloquent manner as to usually win conviction. For thirty years he was a member of the Episco- pal Church, acting as church warden, and inter- ested in all worthy philanthropies.
May 5, 1858, Judge Ritchie married Miss Betty Harrison Maulsby, a native of Carroll County, Md. Her father, Judge William Pinkney Manlsby, was born and reared in Harford County, at Belair,
and studied in the Belair Academy and Union College, New York. He practiced his pro- fession, the law, for two years in Frederick, but after two years went to Westminster, Md., and after ten years went to Baltimore, but from 1851 to 1872 again made his home in Frederick. During the war he was colonel of the First Po- tomac Home Brigade and took part in the battles of Charlestown, Harper's Ferry, Martinsburg, Monocacy and Gettysburg. After a service of three years he was mustered out, in May, 1865, and resumed the practice of law. Upon the death of Judge Nelson he was appointed chief judge of the sixth judicial district by Governor Bowie and was also a member of the court of ap- peals. In 1835 he married Emily C., daughter of Gen. Roger Nelson, and eight children were born to them; five died in childhood. William Pink- ney, Jr., is an attorney at Frederick. Emily Nelson is the wife of Henry Kimball, of Kenosha, Wis. The mother of these children was a woman of fine education and exceptional talent as an author, and many of her contributions to the literature of this country received favorable criti- cisms when they appeared from time to time in the Icading magazines of that day. She died June 4, 1867, in the faith of the Episcopal Church, and was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery. In 1872 Judge Maulsby married the widow of John Fisher, a banker of Westminster, Md. Judge Maulsby's parents were Gen. Israel David and Jane (Hall) Maulsby, the latter the daugliter of John Hall.
Mrs. Betty Harrison ( Maulsby ) Ritchie was educated in Frederick and at St. Mary's Hall, Burlington, N. J. She is a lady of prominence, and was one of the commissioners appointed to represent Maryland at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. She is a member of the national society of the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, and is at present regent of Frederick Chap- ter, of Frederick. For two years she was state regent, and has also served as vice-president gen- eral on the national board. Several of her daugh. ters are also members of the Frederick Chapter. At this writing her oldest daughter, Mrs. McLean, is regent of the New York City Chapter, D. A. R.
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Of the large family of Judge and Mrs. Ritchie, two died in infancy. The others are Emily Nelson, wife of Donald McLean, a lawyer of New York; Catherine Lackland, wife of William H. Pur- nell, an attorney and banker at Kenosha, Wis .; Bettie Maulsby, wife of William Bouldin, Jr., president of a chemical company in New York City; Margaret Davis, wife of William Floyd Sicard, of Washington, D. C., a son of Admiral Sicard, U. S. N .; Jane Hall Maulsby, wife of Allen R. Boyd, of Philadelphia; Anne Meredith, unmarried, and a resident of Washington, D. C .; Willie Maulsby, who is at home with her mother; Jolin, a lawyer, now United States commissioner at Durant, I. T .; Albert, a member of the New York bar; Eleanor Nelson, wife of D. C. Wine- brener, Jr., of Frederick; Edith, at home; Georgia Johnson, wife of Daniel F. Banks, of Baltimore; Henrietta Hanson and Lynn Ursula, at home; Roger Nelson, a student in Frederick Academy; and Mary Harrison, at home.
DGAR T. SMITH, M. D., who is one of the well-known physicians of Boonsboro, has built up a good practice in his chosen profession at this place and lias gained the esteem of all as a progressive citizen and skillful physi- cian. He was born in the town where he now resides, August 6, 1860, and is a son of Otho B. and Anna (Thomas) Smith. The family traces its lineage to Ireland, whence the first of its rep- resentatives in America emigrated in an early day and settled at Clear Spring, Md.
The doctor's grandfather, himself a successful physician, was Otho J. Smith, M. D., a native of Clear Spring and the first physician to settle in Boonsboro, where he became a leading citizen. His death occurred in 1868, when he was fifty- nine years of age. He is remembered as one of the pioneer residents of this village, a man who accomplished much for the benefit of the town and the upbuilding of its material resources. His son, Otho B., was born in Boonsboro and has
been a life-long resident of the town, where he still resides, being now sixty years of age. Farin- ing has been his occupation and he has become a large land owner, having a number of tracts that are valuable and well improved. His wife, who was a daugliter of Jacob Thomas, has also spent hier entire life in Boonsboro, and is a lady of great worth of character and irreproachable life. Their only child is the subject of this sketch.
The education of our subject was thorough, for it was the ambition of his parents to fit hin for a high position in life. He received his pri- mary education in the public schools and later was a student in Georgetown University, where his literary education was completed. In 1834 lie graduated from the University of Virginia, receiving the degree of M. D. With a desire to increase his knowledge of therapeutics by expe- rience, he entered Bellevue Hospital in New York, and made a careful study of the many forins of disease that came beneath his observa- tion there. On completing his studies there in 1886, he was given a certificate. During the same year he began to practice his profession, re- turning to his native town, where he has since been a general practitioner, having built up a profitable and increasing practice. In religious belief he is a Catholic. He devotes himself wholly to his profession, and continues his studies of the science, in order to keep fully abreast witlı the times.
HOMAS A. POFFENBERGER. To attain success at the bar requires not only intelli- gence, but also sound judgment and per- severing industry. Although still a young man and just in the dawn of the success that he may reasonably hope to attain, Mr. Poffenberger has given abundant evidence that he possesses the three requisites of ability, industry and judgment. Shortly after his admission to the bar he was ap- pointed Court Examiner at Hagerstown, which position he held for some time. He is an active
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worker in the Democracy and participated prom- inently in the exciting campaign of 1896, holding true to the principles of free silver and free trade. His fidelity to the party was rewarded by elec- tion as chairman of the Democratic central com- mittee of Washington County.
Near Hagerstown, in Tilghman District, Wash- ington County, the subject of this sketch was born September 27, 1861. His father, William, who was a native of Virginia, followed the trade of a machinist, and spent the greater part of his life across the line in Sharpsburg, Washington County, where he died at the age of forty-one. In politics lie was a Democrat. His wife, Cathe- rine, was a daughter of Peter H. Shamel, a resi- dent of the same neighborhood as Mr. Poffenber- ger. She died at the age of forty, surviving her husband only a few years. They were the par- ents of ten children, all of whom are now living.
Having attended school for some years, at the age of seventeen our subject began to teach, being thus engaged in a district school for one year and afterward in the grammar schools at Funkstown and Fairplay for eleven years. After he began to teach, realizing the need of gaining a better education himself, he devoted his vacations to study in the Hagerstown high school. Still later he turned his attention, in his leisure hours, to the study of law, borrowing law books and read- ing at home as the opportunity offered. In the spring of 1891 he came to Hagerstown and read law with Alexander Armstrong from May 22 to August 22, after which he resumed teaching in the Funkstown school. He was admitted to the bar at the February term of court, 1892, and on the completion of his term of school came to Hagerstown and opened an office, May 2, 1892. Since then he has engaged continuously in practice.
By the marriage of Mr. Poffenberger to Annie Murray, of Washington County, four children were born. When a young man engaged in teaching, our subject began to make a study of politics, and few of the people of Hagerstown are better informed regarding questions of public moment than is he. He is inclined to the faith of the Dunkards, his mother's religion. He is a
man deserving of especial commendation, owing to the fact that he has worked his way, unaided, to his present position and standing at the bar of the county. He had no financial assistance when he started out, but was forced to support himself from youth, fettered, too, by lack of the necessary education. When these things are considered, the position he now occupies is one tliat entitles him to especial praise.
ON. HARVEY S. BOMBERGER. The subject of this sketch is a resident of Boons- boro, Washington County, where he was - born May 15, 1860. His early education was obtained in the public schools. Later he was a student in the academic department of Mercers- burg (Pa.) College, after which he entered Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa., graduating with the class of 1882. He held a position of marked distinction in his class, and was awarded the honor of delivering the valedictory address. He is the son of Moses Bomberger, one of the successful business men of the county, being en- gaged in the mercantile business, in agriculture and one of the promoters of the Second National Bank of Hagerstown.
After graduation Mr. Bomberger entered into a co-partnership with his father, and has since been so engaged in the firm of M. Bomberger & Son. In politics he has been a Republican and a close student of public affairs. While always taking a lively interest, he refrained from active participation until prevailed upon, in the fall of 1897, to accept the nomination for member of the house of delegates. He made a very careful can- vass of his county, and was brought into prom- inence by reason of the fact that he was the only Republican elected for the county, excepting the surveyor. Soon after his entrance into the house he was recognized and selected as chairman of the Republican caucus. His committee assign- ments were to Federal relations, hygiene and library committees, and he was chairman of the
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last-named of these; and as such he prepared and had passed a law to enable the towns and cities of Maryland to create and sustain by taxation public reading rooms and libraries, after the system prevailing throughout the New England states. Maryland, as a state, has been very slow to act in this direction, and the law, on this ac- count, attracted the attention of those interested in this important means of educational work in the state.
The legislature of which Mr. Bomberger was a member elected Judge L. E. McComas to succeed Hon. Arthur P. Gorman in the United States senate. The contest was a sharp one, and the part played by Mr. Bomberger was recognized in bringing about the final result. His career at Annapolis was highly satisfactory to the people of his county and the state.
Mr. Bomiberger is finely educated, and has literary tastes of a high order. Among the people he is popular. He has the fullest confi- dence of his party, and if he desires a public career, has before him a life of usefulness and distinction. He is a member of the Reformed Church; is married and has one son.
ality, and by his genial courtesy to everyone, readily wins friends wherever he goes. He is well posted in his business, has a mind stored with valuable facts and comparisons between the different insurance companies, their benefits, lim- itations, advantages, rates, etc.
The parents of the above were John and Har- riet (Edel) Sheppard, natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father, who passed his boyhood in the vicinity of the city of Richmond, went to Baltimore at about twelve years of age, and is still living in that city, now
in his sixty sixth year. He has been engaged in buying and selling dried beef exclusively for a long time and has met with fair success. His wife died April 17, 1894, when about sixty-two years old. She was a worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and also in the Woman's Christian Temperance Uniou, and was a warm personal friend of Mrs. Van Cott, who is a lady of national fame as an evangelist and temperance worker. The father of Mrs. Sheppard was Josiah Edel, who settled in Baltimore many years ago, and became one of the leading dry-goods mer- chants of the city. He lived to reach his seventy- eighth year. His wife attained a much greater age, however, as she was one hundred and eleven at the time of her death. She was on her way in a carriage from her home in Baltimore County to the city of Baltimore, where she was being taken for medical treatment. Grandfather John Shep- pard moved from Richmond, Va., to Zanesville, Chic, in which town he died as a result of typhoid fever, when he had reached the half-century mark or thereabouts.
In a family numbering seven, J. F. Sheppard is the youngest. He was born in Baltintore, November 15, 1865, and was educated in the public schools of that city. His eldest brother, Jolin J., a resident of St. Louis, is a manufacturer of corn-samp, and has the patent on his particular process, both in the United States and in England. OSEPH F. SHEPPARD, of Hagerstown, is the local agent of the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Boston, and lias Millard F., the next of the fantily, died in itt- fancy. Benjamin F., who learned the confection- ery business and succeeded his grandfather in his headquarters in the postoffice building. He . his plant, died when but thirty-six years old. is a young man of energy, public spirit and liber- Sadie F., whose death occurred at almost the same age, was the wife of Evart A. McManus. Harriet Elizabeth is unmarried and lives with hier father in Baltimore. Samuel H., of the same city, is engaged in the retail butter trade.
J. F. Sheppard was a mere lad of thirteen when he had his initial experience in the world of business. Entering the employ of C. W. Hammel & Company, silver-plate manufacturers, he remained with the concern three and a-half years, after which lie and his brother, Jolm F., started in the butter and country produce commis- sion business, and were togetlier for five years,
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building up in the meantime a very remunera- tive trade. In 1890 our subject sold out to his brother and entered the employ of the Prudential Insurance Company. At the close of a year he became an agent for the New York Life Insur- ance Company, and a year later accepted a posi- tion as superintendent for the Baltimore Mutual Aid Society, with which concern he continued five years. He then began his work for the com- pany which he is still representing, and in 1892 became a resident of Hagerstown. Fraternally he is identified with the Improved Order of Hep- tasophs, and politically is a Republican.
June 24, 1896, Mr. Sheppard married Miss Carrie E. Creney, of Washington, D. C. She was born and reared to womanhood in the capital, and is a daughter of William F. Creney, a well- known citizen there. The young couple attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are very popular in the best society here.
M ICHAEL MARONEY came to Garrett County in 1858 and settled in Oakland, where lie has since resided. He served in the Civil war and at its close, in 1865, returned to Oakland, where he commenced in the general trucking business, also bought and sold horses. Since that time he has built up a large livery business in this place, in addition to which, dur- ing the summer months, he has horses and carriages to let at Deer Park, a popular sum- mer resort near the mountains.
Born in Ireland in 1848, Mr. Maroney came to this country at the age of fifteen years, making the trip in company with a party of friends. He landed in New York and from there pro- ceeded to Albany, where he remained for a short time. He then went to St. Louis, where he made his home with an uncle until the time of his removal to Oakland in 1858. At the open- ing of the Civil war, he enlisted as a member of the Third Virginia Cavalry and rendered brave service during the entire period of the war.
During Hunter's raid he received a wound that confined him to the hospital for some time, and during the battle of Winchester he had two horses shot from under him, himself narrowly escaping with his life. Both at Winchester and Fisher's Hill he was associated with the then Maj. William McKinley, now president of the United States. He was taken prisoner in the valley of Virginia, but was paroled after one day of imprisomnent.
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