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NOTED
LIVING ALBANIANS
AND
STATE OFFICIALS
A SERIES OF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
BY
DAVID ADDISON HARSHA, A. M.
AUTHOR OF "LIVES OF EMINENT ORATORS AND STATESMEN," AND OF "JOHN BUNYAN " "PHILIP DODDRIDGE," " CHARLES SUMNER," ETC.
Of all the species of literary composition, perhaps biography is the most delightful.
ROBERT HALL
ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS PORTRAITS AND VIEWS
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ALBANY, N. Y. WEED, PARSONS AND COMPANY, PRINTERS I891
300776
Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-one, By D. A. HARSHA, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
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PREFACE.
T is three years since the author began to write this series of "pen portraits," now issued under the title of "Noted Living Albanians and State Officials." Most of these sketches have appeared in the columns of The Albany Times, over the signature of "Atticus," but they have all been revised, rewritten and enlarged for the present publication.
This volume contains carefully and correctly prepared memoirs, drawn from original sources, of seventy-nine noted Albanians and state officials-men who, whether on the sunny or shady side of life, have reflected no little credit upon themselves for their earnest and studious endeavor from early youth to fit themselves for usefulness in the various professions and callings of life.
It has been the aim of the author to render in an im- partial manner-without regard to differences in political sentiments, personal jealousies, rivalries or prejudices - " honor to whom honor is due;" and to portray in lively, yet true colors, the careers of living, active officials -- poli- ticians, judges, lawyers, physicians, bankers, literary and scientific men, etc. Particular attention has been given to the ancestry of these notables; to their early training in the school or in the office; to their industry and perse-
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vi
PREFACE.
verance in trying to reach honorable and responsible places in society, with a description of the special work or line of business in which they have been or are now engaged, as tending to promote human progress and development.
From careful research in this fruitful field of investigation the author is convinced that there is no other city in the Union, of the same size, in which there are to-day more solid, sterling, enterprising men than in the old Dutch city of Albany, notwithstanding what may have been said to the contrary. While many other names equally notable are omitted in the present volume, it is because they are reserved for future portraiture.
It is the intention of the author to issue as soon as practicable, another series of Noted Albanians, etc., similar in size and style to the present volume- which must close his efforts in this interesting department of biographical literature relating to Albany.
The principal changes that have taken place in the his- tory of the subjects of this volume during its preparation are the retirement of the Hon. Diedrich Willers, Jr., from public office, in 1889; the resignation of the Hon. James Shanahan as superintendent of public works of the state of New York, in 1889; the resignation of Charles R. Hall as deputy superintendent of the banking department of the state of New York, in 1889; the removal, by death, of the venerable judge, Amasa J. Parker, and of Edgar Cotrell, in the very prime of his life.
This volume is profusely illustrated with excellent por- traits, mostly on steel, besides several views. A portrait of James B. Jermain who is the oldest living representa- tive in the work, faces the title page; another one very re- cently taken will be found in his sketch, with views of the
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PREFACE.
Jermain Memorial church, West Troy; the Home for Aged Men, on the Albany and Troy road; the Young Men's Christian Association, Albany ; his own private residence, a short distance north of Albany ; and the Fairview Home for Friendless Children about a mile north-west of Troy.
The cost of engraving the portraits in this volume with the impressions of the same for the edition amounts to $3,500. The mechanical execution of the work reflects credit upon the large and enterprising printing and pub- lishing establishment of Messrs. Weed, Parsons & Co.
And now, in the very dawn of the year 1891, this volume is sent from the press, in the hope that it may prove an acceptable offering and a valuable treasury of reference and information in genealogy and biography.
" The laws, the rights, The generous plan of power delivered down From age io age, by our renowned forefathers So dearly bought, the price of so much blood, Oh! let it never perish in our hands!"
D. A. HARSHA.
ALBANY, N. Y., January 1, 1891.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
BAILEY, JOHN M., 0 I
BALCH, LEWIS, M. D., PII. D.,
6
BATTERSBY, JOHN,
. IO
BAXTER, EDWIN C.,
15
BOGART, JOHN, 19
BROOKS, JONAS H.,
25
BUCHANAN, CHIARLES J., 30
BURDICK, JOEL WAKEMAN,
35
BURLINGAME, EUGENE,
38
BURNHAM, EDWIN K.,
44 .
CHASE, NORTON, 49
CHESTER, ALDEN,
54
COOK, FREDERICK, 62
COTRELL, EDGAR, .. 69
DANFORTH, ELLIOT, . 74
DEWEY, MELVIL, . 82
DRAPER, ANDREW SLOAN,
98
EATON, JAMES W., 108
FARLIN, DUDLEY,
112
FONDA, DOUW HENRY,
FOWLER, AMOS, M. D.,
123
X
CONTENTS.
PAGE. I28
FULLER, HOWARD N.,
HALE, MATTHEW, I36
HALL, CHARLES ROSWELL, 145
HAMMOND, CHARLES DARIUS, 151
HARRIS, HAMILTON, 155
HILL, DAVID BENNETT,
166
HITT, GALEN R., 173
HOWELL, GEORGE ROGERS, 179
HUTT, JAMES WESLEY, 184
JERMAIN, JAMES BARCLAY, 190
KEELER, WILLIAM H., 20I
KIRCHWEY, GEORGE W., 208
LEARNED, WILLIAM LAW., 217
MCNAMARA, JOHN W.,
226
MAHER, EDWARD A., 231
MANNING, JAMES HILTON,
235
MATHER, FREDERIC GREGORY,
242
MAXWELL, ROBERT A.,
249
MEEGAN, EDWARD J.,
253
MERRILL, CYRUS S., M. D., . 260
MOAK, NATHANIEL CLEVELAND, 264
MUNSON, GEORGE S., M. D., 277
MUNSON, SAMUEL LYMAN, 283
MURRAY, DAVID, 289
PAINE, WILLIS S., 293
PARKER, AMASA J.,
300
PARKER, AMASA J., JR.,
317
PECK, CHARLES H .. 325
PERRY, ISAAC G .. 331
CONTENTS.
xi
PAGE.
RAMSEY, JOSEPH H., .
337
READ, HARMON PUMPELLY,
347
RUDD, WILLIAM P., .
354
RUGGLES, WILLIAM B.,
360
RUSSELL, HENRY,
366
SHANAHAN, JAMES, 371
SICKELS, HIRAM E., . 377
SKINNER, CHARLES RUFUS, 38 [
SWEET, ELNATHAN, 393
TABOR, CHARLES F.,
399
THACHER, JOHN BOYD, 403
TOWNSEND, FREDERICK, 409
TRACEY, CHARLES, 417
TREGO, THOMAS MARKLEY,
422
TUCKER, GILBERT M., 428
TUCKER, WILLIS G., 432
VANDER VEER, ALBERT, 437
VAN HEUSEN, THEODORE V., 446
VAN RENSSELAER, WILLIAM B., 45 I
VAN RENSSELAER, HOWARD, 458
VAN SANTVOORD, SAMUEL M., 463
WARD, SAMUEL BALDWIN, 469 .
WATKINS, ALBERT B., 476
WEMPLE, EDWARD, 483
WESTBROOK, ZERAH S., 490
WILLERS, DIEDRICH, 496
WILLIAMS, CHAUNCEY P.,
503
WOODS, FRANCIS H., 512
WOOSTER, BENJAMIN W.,
.
520
PORTRAITS AND VIEWS.
FACING PAGE.
BAXTER, EDWIN C., ·
15
+
BUCHANAN, CHARLES J.,
30
BURNHAM, EDWIN K.,
44
COOK, FREDERICK,
62
COTRELL, EDGAR, 69
FARLIN, DUDLEY,
II2
FULLER, HOWARD N.,
128
HALE, MATTHEW, 136
HARRIS, HAMILTON, . 155
HOWELL, GEORGE ROGERS, 179
HUTT, JAMES WESLEY, 184
JERMAIN, JAMES BARCLAY, Frontispiece and 190.
VIEW OF Y M. C. A. BUILDING, 192
VIEW OF MEMORIAL CHURCH, 191
VIEW OF HOME FOR AGED MEN, 192
VIEW OF FAIRVIEW HOME,
197
VIEW OF PRIVATE RESIDENCE, 196
LEARNED, WILLIAM LAW, - 217
MANNING, JAMES HILTON, 235
MATHER, FREDERICK GREGORY, . 242
MERRILL, CYRUS STRONG, .
260
MOAK, NATHANIEL CLEVELAND, 264
MUNSON, GEORGE S., M. D., . 277
MUNSON, SAMUEL LYMAN, 283
1
xiv
PORTRAITS AND VIEWS.
FACING PAGE.
PAINE, WILLIS S.,
293
PARKER, AMASA J.,
300
PERRY, ISAAC G.,
331
RAMSEY, JOSEPH H.,
337
VIEW OF HOWE'S CAVE HOTEL,
346
SICKELS, HIRAM E.,
377
SKINNER, CHARLES RUFUS,
381
THACHER, JOHN BOYD, 403
TOWNSEND, FREDERICK, 409
TREGO, THOMAS MARKLEY,
422
VANDER VEER, ALBERT,
437
VAN RENSSELAER, HOWARD,
458
WARD, SAMUEL BALDWIN,
469
WEMPLE, EDWARD.
483
WESTBROOK, ZERAH S.
490
WILLIAMS, CHAUNCEY P . 503
WOOSTER, BENJAMIN W.,
520
1
JOHN M. BAILEY.
I N THE conflict of arms, in the arena of the law, in the struggle of politics, and in the principles of diplomacy, an Albanian who has been an active participant, gaining distinction at home and abroad, is the Hon. John M. Bailey, the present surveyor of customs in Albany. His career, thus far, is illustrative of that success which usually attends a line of action clearly marked out and steadfastly followed amidst the phases of public life.
He is of New England origin. His father, Henry Bailey, owned and cultivated a farm in Bethlehem, Albany county, N. Y., where, on the 24th of August, 1838, his son John, the subject of this sketch, first saw the light. Remaining at home during his early youth, he attended the district school and assisted his father in working the farm. Reared amidst the healthful scenes and occupations of country life, his constitution became vigorous, while at the same time he manifested more than ordinary interest in his school books. It soon became apparent that farming was not to be his chosen occupation - that his taste ran wholly in the line of educational and some kind of professional work; and to foster his passion for study his father took great pains to have him carefully prepared at home, under the care of competent instructors, for a collegiate course. He dili-
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NOTED LIVING ALBANIANS.
gently improved the opportunity thus offered to him, and when he had reached the age of nineteen, it was with bright anticipation that he went to Schenectady and entered the freshman class in Union college. His college life, faithfully devoted to the full, regular classical course of study, was a suc- cessful one, and in 1861 he was graduated from old Union with high honors, being one of the three valedictorians of his class. Having of his own accord selected the legal profession as the most inviting field of labor, he immediately entered the famous old law office of Messrs. Cagger & Porter in this city. Under such favorable circumstances, he began his legal stud- ies with deep interest and made rapid progress in the same. But the civil war with its exciting scenes then stirred the heart of this young law student, and he could not resist the earnest call of the government for volunteers in defense of an imperilled Union. He, accordingly, threw aside his law books and hastened to enroll himself in the service of his country. He also lost no time in persuading other young men to enlist in the same loyal cause ; and by his activity and persistent efforts he had the honor of raising the first forty men for the old One Hundred and Seventy-seventh regiment, New York volunteers, of which the Tenth regi- ment of the National Guard formed the nucleus. He was made a first lieutenant of Company H in this gallant regi- ment, in the fall of 1862, and with it went to the scene of active military operations. In the spring and early summer of 1863 he was engaged in the fierce attacks on Port Hud- son, under General Banks. Of the first attack on the 27th of May, Mr. Lossing very justly remarks: "The battle was furious, and never did men fight with greater determination than Banks' little force against the odds of an equal num- ber behind strong intrenchments, which were defended in
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JOHN M. BAILEY.
front by rifle-pits and approached only through thick abattis, over which swept, like a besom of destruction, the shells from Confederate guns." Lieutenant Bailey also faced the foe in deadly conflict in the later attacks on Port Hudson, June IIth and 14th, and was present at its surrender on the 9th of July -an event which, following so soon after the fall of Vicksburg, filled the hearts of all loyal people with unbounded joy.
The One Hundred and Seventy-seventh regiment was sent to the Department of the Gulf under General Banks, and in the campaign of Louisiana, on the Mississippi, and in the dismal swamps of the surrounding country, Lieutenant Bailey participated with his regiment in all its rough marches and skirmishes, enduring many hardships "as a good soldier," and doing his whole duty in maintaining the honor of the stars and stripes. His coolness and intrepidity were always shown in the sanguinary contest, and his excellent reputa- tion as a true soldier was well earned.
On the death of Adjutant Richard Strong in 1863 Lieu- tenant Bailey was promoted to his place - a position which he held when his regiment returned from the seat of war and was mustered out. After a most creditable and hon- orable war record Major Bailey was discharged at the ex- piration of his term of service, and at once resumed his legal studies, which had been so suddenly interrupted. He again entered the office of Cagger & Porter, and at the same time became a student in the Albany law school, where he graduated in 1864, and was admitted to practice by the general term of the supreme court in Albany. In the following year he was made assistant district attorney of Albany county, which he held for three years. This was the beginning of his successful career as a lawyer
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NOTED LIVING ALBANIANS.
and a politician. From the first he espoused the cause of the Republican party - the party within whose lines he has ever since been a prominent figure, unremitting in his efforts to advance its highest interests and uncompro- mising in his dealings with its opposing forces.
In 1869 Mr. Bailey was appointed by President Grant collector of internal revenue for the fourteenth district of New York, and served in this capacity until the close of 1873, when he was succeeded by the late Ralph P. Lathrop. In 1874 he was elected district attorney of Albany county, and ably filled the office for the term of three years. He was elected in 1878 to the forty-fifth congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Congressman Terence J. Quinn, and to the forty-sixth congress for a full term. He served in the committee on Pacific railroads, one of the most impor- tant committees of the house, and enjoyed the reputation of being a useful and active member, supremely devoted to the leading measures of his party as well as to the general welfare of the nation.
At the close of his congressional career Mr. Bailey was appointed, by President Garfield, United States consul at Hamburg, Germany, and in the summer of 1881 he sailed for that country, to enter upon his official duties, which for four years he discharged with efficiency and entire satisfac- tion to our government. His residence abroad was also of great advantage to him in becoming familiar with the work- ings of foreign diplomacy, and in seeing many places of in- terest in European history and art. He was accompanied abroad by his wife and three children, and they all learned to write and speak fluently the German language. On the expiration of his term as consul at Hamburg, in 1885, Mr. Bailey returned home, and has since devoted his attention
5
JOHN M. BAILEY.
exclusively to the practice of his profession, while at the same time he has taken a lively interest in the affairs of the Republican party, especially in Albany county.
On the 28th of August, 1889, President Harrison appointed Mr. Bailey surveyor of customs in Albany, to succeed Ad- dison D. Cole, on the duties of which office he immediately entered, with ripe judgment, large experience in the science of government, and enlarged knowledge of human nature, and with a mental capacity of filling the requirements of his new post of duty in an able, conscientious and acceptable manner.
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LEWIS BALCH, M. D., PH. D.
O NE of the physicians and surgeons of Albany, whose professional assistance has been sought often in con- sultation through the state, is Dr. Lewis Balch. He was born in the city of New York, corner of Great Jones street and Second avenue, on the 7th day of July, 1847. His an- cestry on both sides is a notable one. It is of English and French origin. Several of his ancestors have rendered no small service in this country in civil and ecclesiastical mat- ters. He is the oldest son of the Rev. Lewis P. W. Balch, D. D., and Anna Jay.
His father was born in Leesburg, Va., in 1810, and died in Detroit, Mich., in 1874, where he was rector of Grace Episcopal church. Before the Rev. Dr. Balch moved to Detroit, where he resided but a year, he had filled many and important offices in the church, both in this country and Canada, having been for fifteen years secretary of the house of bishops of the United States. He was especially distinguished for his eloquence as a preacher. When a young man he was appointed a cadet at West Point, and served there three years, resigning to enter Princeton col- lege preparatory to studying for the ministry. His mother, a lady ot rare beauty and accomplishments, the daughter of the Hon. William Jay, died when the subject of this sketch
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7
LEWIS BALCH, M. D., PH. D.
was an infant. His grandfather, the Hon. Lewis P. W. Balch, of Leetown, Va., served as a volunteer at Fort Mc- Henry in the war of 1812, and after the civil war was the only man able to take what was then known as the "iron- clad oath" in the valley of Virginia, and was appointed United States judge for that district. His great-grandfather, the Rev. Stephen Balch, was born in 1746; graduated from Princeton college in 1774 ; settled as pastor of a church at Georgetown, D. C., and died in 1833.
On his maternal side Dr. Balch's grandfather was the Hon. Wm. Jay, the second son of John Jay. He studied the classics at Albany with the Rev. Thomas Ellison of Ox- ford, England, and while in this city formed a life-long friendship with James Fenimore Cooper. In 1818 he was . appointed to the bench of Westchester county by Governor DeWitt Clinton. He assisted in forming the American Bible Society, and was one of the advocates of the modern anti-slavery movements. He died October 14th, 1858, leav- ing the fragrance of a good name. The great-grandfather of Dr. Balch on his mother's side was the celebrated John Jay, our minister to Spain in 1778, our special envoy to Great Britain in 1794, and first chief justice of the United States supreme court. He was also governor and chief justice of this state. His eminent services adorn the pages of American history.
Dr. Balch was educated at the Maryland institute, Balti- more, Md., the Berkeley institute, Newport, R. I., and the Vermont Episcopal institute, Burlington, Vt., where he prepared for college, but owing to overstudy, was obliged to suspend all work for a year in order to recover his health. At the lapse of that time, in the fall of 1866, he entered the medical department of McGill university, Montreal,
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NOTED LIVING ALBANIANS.
Canada, where his father was then living. At the end of the college year, illness again forced him to seek rest, and he, following the advice of his physician, visited the Brazils in the winter of 1867-8. In the fall of 1868, he matriculated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the medical de -... partment of Columbia College, in New York, from where he graduated in March, 1870. After a short rest, he entered and resided for one year, in the Brooklyn city hospital, further fitting himself for his life's work. Before his graduation he had had service in the Montreal general hospital, the old New York hospital in Broadway, and the Children's hos- pital on Ward's island, New York harbor. After leaving the Brooklyn city hospital, Dr. Balch opened an office in . New York and received the appointment of attending sur- geon to the Northern dispensary.
In 1873, he moved to Albany and began the earnest prac- tice of his profession. A few years after his coming to the latter city, he was made an attending surgeon to St. Peter's hospital. When the Albany medical college was re-organ- ized in 1876, Dr. Balch was appointed professor of anatomy, one of the attending surgeons to the Albany city hos- pital, and the surgeon of the Child's hospital. For a while he was associated with the late Dr. John Swinburne, and with him was asked to take charge of the surgical divis- ion of the Homeopathic hospital, which invitation he accepted.
Dr. Balch was appointed one of the district physicians for the city by the Hon. A. B. Banks, and when the same gentleman served his second term as mayor, he offered Dr. Balch the position of city physician, promoting him to be health officer when that office became vacant in 1885. In 1886 the state board of health appointed Dr. Balch as
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LEWIS BALCH, M. D., PH. D.
secretary to succeed Dr. Carroll, and re-appointed him for a second term in 1889.
Shortly after graduation, Dr. Balch entered the service of the National Guard as an assistant surgeon, was promoted to be surgeon, and with the exception of four years, from 1873 to 1877, has remained in the service.
In 1870 Dr. Balch married Miss Jane B. Swann, a niece of Governor Swann of Maryland, by whom he has had one son, born in 1872. 2
JOHN BATTERSBY.
MONG the noted men of Albany, whose usefulness and whose generosity will always be held in high es- teem by our citizens irrespective of party, is John Battersby, the present republican county treasurer of Albany. Born on the 19th of January 1834, in the town of Dromore, Ire- land, he passed his earliest youth with his parents on the shores of the Emerald Isle, playing and working on the green fields, breathing the invigorating air of that healthful climate, and laying the foundation of a sound, vigorous con- stitution. John was the pride of his parents, who took the greatest delight in instructing him in right paths, so that in after years he might rise up and call them blessed. The father of John Battersby was in many respects a remarkable man ; his chief characteristics being a provident, industrious nature, strict integrity, with a soul sensibly touched with the struggles of humanity and the sufferings of the poor. With a view to bettering his own condition and that of his young family he emigrated to America in the year 1847. On reaching New York and looking over the map of the country, to select a suitable location for carrying on his business -that of conducting a fine meat market -- he de- cided on Albany, and sailing up the Hudson he landed at. this city where he was to make a life-long residence. He
II
JOHN BATTERSBY.
was much pleased with the place and saw at a glance that there was a good opening for starting a business with which he was well acquainted and in which financial success was only a question of time. On reaching Albany with his par- ents, John was about thirteen years of age - a strong, young lad, with his physical education well developed - and here he attended the public schools for about two years, prepar- ing himself not for a classical or collegiate course, but ac- quiring a general knowledge of the English branches of lit- erature such as would fit him for carrying on the practical business of every day life. Being an apt, industrious stu- dent he made rapid progress in his studies during those two well-spent years.
His father, having started business on the corner of Canal and Chapel streets, required the services of a clerk, and young John was taken in and given a chance of reducing to practice his knowledge of arithmetic and bookkeeping. The experiment was successful. The business was continued at this stand about a year, when, on looking around for a more central location, Mr. Battersby purchased of Charles Snow- den the building on the north-east corner of Clinton avenue and North Pearl street. John Battersby then went into business with his father as a partner. And during the eleven years they remained on that corner they built up a large business, which continued to increase from year to year. In 1859, the elder Battersby bought the opposite corner now occupied by his son John. It is an admirable location, attractive, central, and surrounded by the homes of some of the most substantial residents of Albany.
It is not surprising that from the first this venture was a great success when the sterling, active qualities of both father and son were engaged in it. Here they soon did the
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NOTED LIVING ALBANIANS.
largest retail business in fine meats of all kinds of any simi- lar establishment in the state. Keeping a great variety of choice meats, Battersby's market soon attracted the custom of many of the best citizens of Albany, maintaining its repu- tation in increasing strength to the present time. It was greatly due to the enterprise, activity and carefulness of John Battersby that so large a trade was built up and main- tained unimpaired. He remained with his father in the business till the old man's death in 1880, at the age of seventy-nine. His departure was greatly missed and la- mented, especially by the poor, among whom he freely dis- tributed a great deal of meat, rejoicing many a poor widow or orphan, or those who were sick or out of work. In this respect his son inherits some of his father's most striking qualities ; and it will never be known to how many of the worthy poor he has afforded much needed relief to the suf- ferings of the "inner man." During the terrible blizzard of March, 1888, he sent out his baskets of meat, without money and without price, to those who, he thought, might be in need of the necessaries of life, setting an example which many of our wealthiest men would do well to imitate.
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