USA > Maryland > Portrait and biographical record of the Sixth congressional district, Maryland V. 2 > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
LEXANDER KILGOUR, state's attorney for Montgomery County and an influential citizen of Rockville, was born near this city April 8, 1858, and is a son of Alexander Kilgour, Sr., and a brother of Col. William Kilgour, to whose sketch upon another page the reader is re- ferred for the family history. He was educated in the schools of Montgomery County and at Alexandria, Va. From school he went to Balti- more and entered upon commercial life. After two years he returned to Alexandria, where he read law with Judge A. W. Chilton.
Returning to Rockville, Mr. Kilgour began to practice his profession in 1885. In 1895 he be- came a candidate for state's attorney and was elected. In the canvass all candidates ran very close to one another, and majorities were small. The criminal docket has never been so large as since he was elected state's attorney and this of course has given him a large amount of work. His conduct of the office has been exceptionally satisfactory and in the difficult position he fills he has been remarkably successful. His experience at the bar has been almost entirely confined to Maryland, although he was admitted to the bar in Virginia in 1884 and practiced there for six months before coming back to Rockville. He practices before all. courts in the state and is a member of the supreme court of the District of Columbia and the United States.
Having given his attention closely to profes- sional and official duties, Mr. Kilgour has had little time for participation in matters of a fraternal, social or public nature. However, he keeps himself posted upon every change in the political
776
PORTRAIT .AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
horizon and is informed concerning the issues of the age. In religious belief he is an Episco- palian. He is identified with the Elks and Great Falls Lodge No. 89, K. of P., in which he has served as prelate.
OHN L. RENN, a well-to-do citizen of Frederick, has been living retired from the active duties and labors to which he devoted his prime, for the past four years. His home is a comfortable modern residence, located at No. 174 West Patrick street, this place having come into his possession by purchase in 1894. At all times he has given his influence to the support of worthy public enterprises and is liberal and pro- gressive in his ideas.
Mr. Renn is a native of this county, his birth having occurred upon the fine old family home- stead, Brook Lawn, in Buckeystown District, October 15, 1844. His father, Jolin H. Renn, was born on the same farm in 1811, and spent his . whole life there, engaged in the cultivation and management of the place. The property, or the nucleus of the present large farm, was formerly in the possession of the father of John H. Renn, he having bought it some time in the eighteenth century, since which it has remained in the hands of his descendants. The family of John H. Renn and Sarah, his wife, comprised ten chil- dren. (See sketch of E. C. Renn for further de- tails of family history.)
Before he was of age John L. Renn had mas- tered all of the varied departments of farm work and had gained a reputation for business ability, which his later career has thoroughly justified. From his twenty-fifth year he has been entirely independent, and as a result of the well-applied energy of years past he is now in the possession of an assured competence for the remainder of his days. For twelve years he carried on the old home place, after which he removed to a farm in the neighborhood of Mount Zion, and was occu- pied in its cultivation for twenty years. Having
amassed a goodly fortune, and being the owner of several hundred acres of excellent land, situ- ated in different farms, he wisely concluded to re- tire and devote his leisure to the supervision of his investments. Politically he is a Democrat and in religion is a Lutheran.
March 12, 1867, Mr. Renn married Miss Char- lotte Smith, daughter of Jacob Smith, of Fred- erick District, and at one time the owner of one of the farms now in the possession of Mr. Renn. Three sons and two daughters came to bless the union of our subject and wife: John S., who mar- ried Miss Elmira Coblentz, of the vicinity of Mount Zion Church, and has one child; Charles L., whose wife was Miss Nanny Phleeger; George Acey, who married Miss Charlotte Long and has one child; Florence V., widow of William Har- gett, a farmer, by whom she became the mother of two children, Russell and Lottie May; and May, wife of Amos Ramsburg, a farmer of Middletown District. The last-mentioned couple are the parents of two children, Charlotte and Mary. The first wife of our subject died in 1876 and April 23, 1878, he married Miss Charlotte Shaffer, whose father, Randolph Shaffer, was a well-to-do farmer of Middletown District.
OF EORGE O. B. CISSEL embarked in the mercantile business in 1883, when he opened a store in the basement of. what is now his residence, in Wheaton, Montgomery County. One not familiar with his disposition might have predicted failure for the undertaking, for he had never had a day's experience in the business and he borrowed $400 as capital to start with. But those familiar with his determined spirit and energetic disposition could safely predict success for him, even though he started under adverse circumstances. In 1889 he built his present store building, which is, in its main part, 70x22 feet in dimensions and two stories in height, be- sides which he has three warehouses, all packed with general merchandise. In addition to dry
777
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
goods he handles farm machinery, fertilizer, etc., and gives employment to two hands. The store is situated on the Brookeville and Washington pike, about six miles from Washington, and is one of the best country stores in the county.
Near Sandy Spring, Montgomery County, Mr. Cissel was born in 1856. His father, Richard, was born in Howard County, just across the line from Montgomery County, and in full sight of the house where his son was born. A farmer by occupation, he spent forty-four years of his life upon a farm in Montgomery County, where he also served as county commissioner. For a time, when a young man, he engaged in merchandis- ing. Politically he was a Democrat. He was a Catholic in later life and had one brother who was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Born in 1818, he was sixty-four years of age at the time of his death, in 1882. His father, Samuel, was a native of Howard County. The family originally came from England with Lord Baltimore in one of the first ships that crossed and settled in Howard County, where they bought large tracts of land.
Our subject's mother was Margaret Elizabeth Walters, whose father, Capt. James Walters, was a sea captain and followed the water during all his life. He was a descendant of an English family, who were among the first settlers on the Eastern Shore, three brothers having come across the ocean together, one of whom, Benjamin, settled on Kent Island, and from him this branch of the family springs. Benjamin, of the next generation, was one of three brothers and eleven sisters. James Walters was, as already stated, a sea captain; he married Margaret Hardy, and their daughter, Margaret Elizabeth, is still living in Howard County and is now seventy-six years of age. In her family there were seven sons and three daughters. Samuel is engaged in the to- bacco business in California; William B. has a large ranch in Montana; John P. is a farmer in Prince George County, Md .; Theodore V. is superintendent of a mining company in Nevada; Richard E. resides upon and cultivates the old home place; Elizabeth is the widow of Morris Weller; Corrie married Dr. William Cissel, of
Howard County; and Ada is the wife of Prof. Byron Cissel, who is connected with St. John's College in Annapolis.
In the district schools and Rockhill College, our subject obtained a fair education, which he utilized in teaching in this section for a year. He then turned his attention to farming, which he followed until 1883, and then embarked in the mercantile business. Politically he is a Demo- crat. For nine years he has served as postmaster of Wheaton, the postoffice being in his store. In 1882 he married Catherine, daugher of William E. and Catherine Stubbs, her father for many years connected with the state department. They are the parents of four sons and three daughters, all of whom are at home, viz .: Hardy Stubbs, Hilda Ridgley, John Floyd, Dores, K. Delos, Erric Burke and Edward Carroll.
-
OHN THOMAS HIGDON is one of the in- fluential and prominent farmers of Darnes- town District, Montgomery County, where he is engaged in stock-raising and general farm pursuits. He began as an agriculturist in 1868 and has since then added to his possessions until at the present time he is the owner of four hun- dred and forty acres, of which all but seventy- five acres is under cultivation. .. A large portion of the property is land that he himself has cleared, this representing much work. He is one of the progressive farmers of the locality. His property has been accumulated by hard work, seconded by intelligent management.
Near Poolesville, this county, Mr. Higdon was born September 18, 1848, the son of John T. and Actia (Case) Higdon. His father was born and reared in this county and in early life took up work as a farmer, this occupation engaging his attention throughout life. He took an active part in political affairs and was a Democrat in party matters. By his marriage to Actia, daugh- ter of a Revolutionary soldier, John Case, of this county, there were born six children, all but one
.
:
778
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
of whom are living, namely: Charles L., a car- penter in Washington, D. C .; Mary, who married Nathan Page and resides near Germantown; John Thomas; Ruth, who keeps house for our subject; and Sarah, who married William E. Selvy and resides at Rockville.
After completing a public-school education, our subject began to work at the carpenter's trade. However, his attention throughout life has been given principally to farming. He con- ducts his farm in an intelligent manner and has the reputation of being a practical farmer. A Democrat in political belief, he has served for some time as road supervisor of his section of the district. However, he has never sought office, preferring to give his attention to the manage- ment of his land. He has never joined any denomination, but attends the different churches and renders substantial aid to all of them. As a citizen he favors measures for the benefit of the district and county. He is highly regarded by his neighbors, who esteem him as an exception- ally upright and conscientious man.
EORGE BONIFANT has managed the farm which he now owns ever since he was a youth of fifteen years. After the death of his father he purchased the property, and has since added one hundred acres, making the total extent of the estate six hundred acres. When he began its cultivation the land was largely wild prairie, and through his energy it has been brought to its present state of cultivation. In 1871 he built the residence where he has since made his home. The farm is situated in Berry District, Montgomery County.
In this district Mr. Bonifant was born in 1826, being next to the youngest son of John Bonifant, a native of St. Mary County, Md., but a resident of Montgomery County from early boyhood, hav- ing come here with his parents. Almost his entire life was spent on the place now owned by his son. He was a successful farmer and a large
slave owner, but set all of his slaves free. Politi- cally a Whig and active in party affairs, he was elected magistrate on that ticket and served in that capacity for many years. In religion he was an Episcopalian, and died in that faith when he was seventy-six years of age.
The grandfather of our subject, Samuel Boni- fant, was born in St. Mary County, and during the Revolution served as a private. On coming to Montgomery County he bought the place now owned by his grandson. His original purchase comprised three hundred acres, to which his son added two hundred and his grandson one hundred, making the total acreage of the place six hundred. The farm is known as "Wolf's Den." His death occurred when he was eighty-six years of age. He was the son of a French-Huguenot, who fled from his native land on account of religious per- secutions and was among the earliest settlers of St. Mary County.
Our subject's mother, Mary A. Tucker, had several sisters, all of whom lived in Washington. Her father was a native of Georgetown and died when she was young. She was the mother of five sons and seven daughters, of whom the eldest born, Washington, is now eighty-five years of age. He was for a long time a member of the legislature, and for eight years, under President Lincoln, served as United States marshal. He was one of the first Republicans in Montgomery County and cast the first vote here for Abraham Lincoln. The second son, Dr. Benjamin Bonifant, moved to Missouri and died there. John, who lived on the homestead, is deceased. James, who was a farmer in this section, finally sold his place and moved to Virginia, where he died. Mary Ann married Thomas O. Wilson, of Prince George County; Louisa died when young; Eliza- beth died unmarried, when advanced in years; Sarah married her brother-in-law, after the death of her sister; Margaret died in girlhood; Caroline married Dr. Peters, of Missouri, and now makes her home with our subject; and Virginia died when young.
Upon the farm he now owns our subject passed his boyhood days, receiving his education in the common schools. From boyhood he was inter-
779
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ested in farming and agriculture has been his chester and a score of others. His faithfulness chosen life work. In 1875 he married Helen at his post, his gallantry and daring received frequent praise and commendation from his supe- rior officers. Green, daughter of Lloyd Green, a native and farmer of this county, and member of an old family here. Mr. and Mrs. Bonifant became the Upon returning to the peaceful walks of life Mr. Dailey removed from his native state to Bar- ton, Allegany County, Md., and there embarked in a mercantile business. This he carried on afterwards also in Western Port until 1871. In the year last mentioned he came to Oakland, and for a few years was similarly occupied in trade as a merchant. In 1874 he entered the office of Col. J. W. Veitch, and after thoroughly mastering the intricacies of law, was admitted to the bar of this county in 1873. He has since been actively en- gaged in practice and has also been actively inter- ested in the lumber business for a portion of the intervening time. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and belongs to the Presbyterian Church. Politically he is a Democrat. parents of three daughters and two sons, namely: Polly, deceased; John, at home; George, Jr., Margaret and Sallie, also at home. During the war the sympathies of Mr. Bonifant were with the south, and since then he has frequently voted the Democratic ticket, though inclined to be in- dependent in his views and voting for the best men, irrespective of political ties. For years he has been a steward in the Methodist Church at Layhill. He is a man whose wide range of in- formation and fluency in writing make him an acceptable writer, and he has done considerable literary work for newspapers and magazines, which has made his name familiar to many who do not know him personally.
In 1868 Mr. Dailey married Miss Jean K. James- son, a lady of Scotch descent and of an old and honored family of Virginia. She was born and reared in Fairfax County, was a daughter of Malcolm and a niece of Commodore Jamesson. She was a faithful and loving wife and mother, and the family circle has sadly missed her pres- ence since she was taken from it by the angel of death, in 1892, when she was in her fifty-third year. Three sons are left who will never cease to tenderly cherish her memory: John, Jacob and Paul.
ILLIAM A. DAILEY, who has been a member of the Garrett County bar since 1878, has made his home in Oakland for twenty-seven years and is thoroughly identified with the advancement of this now thriving place. He was born in Hampshire County, W. Va., in 1842, and was reared to maturity in that locality. The parents of our subject were Jacob H. and Jane (Patterson) Dailey. The father was a native of Berkeley County, Va., but passed the greater share of his life in Hampshire County, W. Va. He was a blacksmith by trade and followed that calling in his early manhood, but subsequently gave his attention to merchandising in the town of Springfield, W. Va. In that place his death occurred in 1860, when he was in his sixty-third year. To himself and wife, Jane, who was of Scottish parentage, were born nine children. Six of the number survive, namely: Dr. John, of Piedmont, W. Va .; Catherine, wife of Joseph Patterson; Susan E., widow of William Wall; When the Civil war broke out he enlisted as a private in Company A, Thirty-third Virginia Volunteers, Stonewall Brigade, commanded by that noted general, Stonewall Jackson. He par- ticipated in many of the most memorable and fateful campaigns of the war and was wounded seven times. In 1863 he was placed on the de- tached service as a recruiting officer, and the fol- lowing year was detailed to act as a courier, serving as such until the close of the war. He took part in many of the fiercest battles fought, among them the first and second Bull Run, Get- tysburg, seven days' fight at Richmond, Kerns- town, Slaughter Mountain, Port Republic, Win- Elizabeth; William A., of this sketch; and Jacob,
780
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
a resident of Montana. Mrs. Dailey died in her home at Springfield at the age of seventy-seven years.
John Dailey, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Berkeley County, Va., in 1760. He was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, serv- ing under Captain Shipley and Colonel Posey, of the colonial army, and received an honorable dis- charge in 1784. He died in 1824, at the age of sixty-four years. His father, Haviland Dailey, was born on ship-board when his parents were crossing the Atlantic Ocean, they having been exiled from Ireland at the time of one of the last century persecutions of the people of that island.
HILEMON M. SMITH, a retired business man residing in Gaithersburg, was born in Frederick County, about two miles from Hyattstown, November 9, 1819. He is a mem- ber of a family that was identified with the his- tory of Frederick County from a very early day, coming from Calvert County shortly after the war of independence. John H. Smith, grand- father of our subject, was born in Calvert County and accompanied his mother to Frederick County when he was a boy. Some years later he married Rachael McElfresh, by whom he had three chil- dren, John H., Jr., Philemon M. and Ann.
The father of our subject, whose name was the same as his own, received his education under the tutelage of teachers employed by the people of the neighborhood. He made agriculture his life work and in it met with success. He was a stanch Whig in politics and served as postmaster and magistrate. In the Methodist Church he was a class-leader and exhorter. His first mar- riage united him with Elizabeth Waters, daughter of Nacey Waters, of Montgomery County, mem- ber of an old English family that settled here prior to the Revolution. By this union five chil- dren were born: John, deceased; Nacey, formerly a manufacturer of machinery in Baltimore, but now living retired in Frederick County; Phile-
mon M., Jr .; Rachel, deceased, and Louisa, de- ceased. After the death of his first wife Mr. Smith married Mrs. Gaither, of Montgomery County, by whom he had seven children: Thomas A., William H., Charles C., Corrilla and Mary, all deceased; Ann Elizabeth, widow of Charles A. Ramsey; and Joseph, a carpenter at Mont . Clare, in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
When a boy our subject had meagre opportuni- ties for acquiring an education. At the age of twenty-one he began to clerk for George W. Mobley, at Clarksburg, and four years later went to Tennessee, where he was employed in a store at Clarksville. After three years he returned to Maryland and opened a store at Kemptown, Fred- erick County. This establishment he conducted for three years and then removed to Urbana, the same county, where he was engaged in business for five years. His next move was to Mont- gomery County, where he bought a farm on the Seneca, about six miles from Gaithersburg. After about six years he again resumed mercan- tile pursuits, opening a store at Damascus, where he engaged in business about twenty years. In 1880 he purchased his present home place com- prising twenty-two acres, which is conveniently situated within the town limits. Here he has a pleasant home. The house stands back almost two hundred yards from the road, thus giving privacy and comfort, at the same time affording an opportunity for the improvement of the grounds.
Since coming to Gaithersburg Mr. Smith has not been actively engaged in business, but is leading a retired life, enjoying the fruits of for- mer years of toil. He is one of the directors of the Gaithersburg Milling and Manufacturing Company, a director in the National Bank of Gaithersburg and in the Perpetual Building and Loan Association of this place; from which it may be seen that, while practically retired, he has not withdrawn his connection with local enterprises. Politically he was a Whig prior to the organiza- tion of the Republican party. While at Damas- cus he acted as postmaster and since coming here he has been a member of the board of county
781
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
commissioners of Montgomery County. He is a member of Pentalpha Lodge No. 194, A. F. & A. M., at Gaithersburg, of which he has been treasurer since its organization. For several years he has been a trustee of the Methodist Church, of which he is an active member.
November 5, 1850, Mr. Smith married Henri- etta M., daughter of James Connor, of Frederick County, who died February 1, 1870. They had three children: Emma, wife of Dr. B. F. Lans- dale, and a resident of Damascus, this county; Walter, who died young; and Philemon J., de- ceased. January 11, 1871, Mr. Smith married Ann E., daughter of Horace Wilson, of Clarks- burg, this county; she died January 29, 1875. On the 6th of June, 1876, he was united with Mrs. Eliza A. Magruder, daughter of Samuel White, of Mechanicsville, this county; she passed away May 5, 1893. His present wife, with whom he was united January 23, 1897, was Helen R. Connor, daughter of Benjamin O. Connor, of Montgomery County. They have one child, a daughter, Edith. Mr. Smith is a man of excellent executive ability, with the power to plan and the ability to execute to a successful issue. He retains his shrewdness as a financier, notwithstanding the fact that he is approaching his eightieth year. In the welfare of the town he takes a warm interest and any measure for its upbuilding meets with his approbation.
2 LAIR LEE, the only child of Rear-Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee, was born in Silver Spring, Md., August 9, 1857, his birth- place being the farm in the southern portion of Montgomery County, where he now resides. He was educated at Emerson Institute and at Prince- ton College, from which he graduated in ISSo; entered the Columbia Law School, Washington, in 1880, and two years later graduated, after which he pursued a post-graduate course, and was admitted to the bar at Rockville, Md., and in Washington in 1883. Shortly afterward he
opened an office in Washington for the practice of law and has since become known as a well- informed and successful attorney.
In October, 1891, Mr .. Lee was united in mar- riage with Miss Anne Clymer Brooke, daughter of Edward Brooke and Anne Clymer, of Birds- borough, Berks County, Pa. They have two sons. In religion Mr. Lee is identified with the Episcopal Church. While necessarily much of his time is spent in Washington, in connection with his practice, yet he still finds time for the enjoyment of his attractive homestead, and his happiest hours of vacation are spent in farm and garden work there. The place was purchased in 1842 by Francis P. Blair and has been in the possession of the family since, a period of more than half a century.
The Globe was General Jackson's organ, and edited by Mr. Blair, Sr., was a paper of the great- est national influence, creating and largely main- taining the Democratic opinion which sustained President Jackson in his fight to prevent the Bank of the United States, a corporation, from controlling the money of the country and voicing his policy on all other issues of that day. The motto of the Globe was "The world is too much governed" and by what they believed was a true sympathy with the popular form of govern- ment of our country, Mr. Blair and his descend- ants strove to rule their political conduct.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.