USA > New York > Biographical sketches of the state officers and members of the legislature of the state of New York in 1862 and '63 > Part 9
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gained some reputation as a legislator. The second year he was elected Speaker, and performed its arduous duties very creditably. He was again a candidate for the posi- tion in 1862, but was foiled in a contest with Hon. Henry J. Raymond, who was for the second time elected to fill the Speaker's chair. It was no discredit to Mr. Alvord, however, to be beaten by Mr. Raymond, who as a pre- siding officer has no superior.
Mr. Alvord's reputation in the Assembly was that of a man of ability and eloquence, rather than one of pat- riotism and usefulness. As a debater he excelled, being fluent, energetic, concise and clear. He always attracted attention when he rose to speak, and was listened to with unflagging interest. His persistence, however, is unre- lenting - very seldom convinced of error, and never be- trays a consciousness of being vanquished. His voice is strong though not unpleasant, and he is distinctly heard in every part of the chamber. His views on public mat- ters, particularly expenditures, were large and liberal, and he always carried them out by voting for large ap- propriations, and against small ones. He despised little things ; hence his ideas of legislation were that great projects only should receive the public patronage and support. The practical working of his theory is "to make the rich, richer; the poor, poorer," and to this end he seemed to labor. Doubtless he holds the rational opinion that a man must live by his wits, but he is not over scrupulous how his genius should be employed.
Mr. Alvord was originally a Hard-Shell Democrat; sub- sequently became a Soft-Shell, and on the breaking out of the war engaged in the Union movement. He was Presi-
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dent of the Union State Convention in 1861, but voted for the Straight Republican ticket. In other words, he repu- diated TALLMADGE, the Union nominee for Canal Commis- sioner, and voted for BRUCE, the Republican nominee for the same office. He is exceedingly ambitious, and esteems himself admirably qualified for any public position. He lacks discretion, however, and seldom succeeds in conceal- ing his object and plan of action. When he left the Speaker's chair he had a good reputation, but his lobby schemes and associations at Albany, in the winter of 1861, destroyed public confidence in him, and lost him the nomi- nation for Lieutenant-Governor last fall, instead of Lyman Tremain-a position to which he aspired with the most intense anxiety.
SMITH ANTHONY.
MR. ANTHONY was a member of the Assembly in 1861, where he served as Chairman of the Committee on Expen- ditures of the House, and as a member of the Committee on State Prisons. He was one of the most quiet men in that body, but his influence was strong and generally felt in the action of the House upon all important measures.
Mr. Anthony was born on the 18th of April, 1813, in Greenfield, Saratoga county, N. Y. He is of English descent. Both his parents, John Anthony and Susannah Allen, are. still living; the former at the age of eighty- three, and the latter at the age of seventy-seven. His edu- cation was received in a common district school, and his *12
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occupation has always been that of farming. He resided 'in the town of Ledyard, Cayuga county, from - 1822 until 1843, when he removed into the town of Fleming, in the same county, where he has been Supervisor during the years 1846, '47, '49, '57, '58, and '60. He was also Justice of the Peace in 1852. He was formerly a Whig, and is now firmly attached to the principles and policy of the Republican party.
Mr. Anthony was married in 1837, to Miss Mary Gray, and is liberal in his views on the subject of religion.
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ELI AVERY.
MR. AVERY is a native of the town of New Hart- ford, Oneida county, N. Y., and is fifty-three years of age. He is of Yankee descent, both his paternal and maternal ancestors having emigrated to this state from New England. His educational advantages were only such as the common schools of his native place afforded, and his occupation has always been that of farming. He is a gentleman of respectability and influence in the community where he resides, and was chosen a member of the Assembly by a majority of upwards of thirteen hundred. He was not one of the noticeable members of the House, but nevertheless was always punctual and straight-forward in the discharge of his duties.
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A. BLEECKER BANKS.
MR. BANKS is a native of the city of New York, and is now about twenty-eight years old. He is of English and Welch descent. His father, David Banks, is an extensive publisher of law books in that city, and is well known in legal circles, being the oldest publisher of works on law and kindred subjects in the United States. The imprint of Banks, Brothers, may be found in a large number of volumes in the library of every lawyer in the Union. The maiden name of the mother of Mr. Banks was Harriet Loyd. She is still living, being now about fifty years of age.
In early life Mr. Banks attended a French school. After leaving this he attended Columbia College for the space of a year. He then became associated with his father in the publishing business, in which he has been engaged, in the city of Albany, for about seven years. Ever since he has been a voter he has been a member of the Democratic party. He never held office previous to his election to the Assembly. He is a very clever young man, and is wealthy-the source of much of the influ- ence he possesses. He is unmarried.
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THOMAS BARRY.
MR. BARRY is self-made - the architect of his own fortune - a good, clever, active business man, standing high in the community where he resides. He was not a speaking member of the House, but was always found diligent and faithful in the discharge of his duties.
Mr. Barry was born on the 3d of December, 1822, in the Parish of Drumcollaher, county of Limerick, Ireland. He came, when quite young, with his parents to this country, and after living some three years in the city of New York, removed, about the year 1828, with them to the town of Willett, Cortland county, where he still resides. He is descended from the " noble family of Barrys," who figure conspicuously in Irish history. His father, Thomas Barry, died in 1849, at the age of seventy-five, and his mother, whose maiden name was Susannah Finnessy, is still living at the age of sixty- two.
Mr. Barry was educated in the common schools of Cortland county, and has devoted his life chiefly to farming. Prior to his marriage, however, he devoted ten successive winters to teaching a common school. He has always taken a deep interest in agricultural pur- suits, and has been President of the Union Agricultural Society in his county. In politics, he has never wavered in his attachment to the principles and policy of the Democratic party, and was a staunch supporter of Mr. Douglas in the last Presidential contest.
Mr. Barry was married in 1850 to Miss Ellen Condon, and is a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
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GEORGE BARTLETT.
MR. BARTLETT is a native of Salisbury, Conn., and is forty-one years of age. He is of pure English descent, although his ancestry in this country can be traced back through a long series of years. His father, Loring Bartlett, is still living in Salisbury, at an advanced age, and his mother, whose maiden name was Phebe Moore, died some five years ago, at the age of seventy, beloved and respected by all who knew her.
Mr. Bartlett came to the state of New York about thirty years ago, a poor boy, and entered Union College, at Schenectady, where he was an industrious and faithful student, somewhat distinguished for his opposition to secret societies, and graduated in 1840. After leaving college he entered the law office of the Hon. Daniel S. Dickinson, at Binghamton, where, after pursuing a thorough course of legal training, he was admitted to the bar, and where he since became successfully engaged in the practice of his profession. In politics, he has always been a Democrat of the Hard-Shell school-one of the hardest of the Hards, and was a delegate to the Baltimore Convention in 1860, which nominated John C. Breckinridge for the Presidency. Like many others, however, of the same political persuasion at the North, he eschewed all party considerations at the breaking out of the rebellion, and was elected to the Assembly as a representative of the late Union movement.
Mr. Bartlett is a gentleman of conceded ability, and ranks high in his profession. He never held any public office before coming to the Legislature, but discharged
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his duties in that body in a manner which showed him eminently capable of higher and more important dis- tinction. He made several speeches during the session, which were considered masterly efforts-especially that in favor of the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad bill -and made him friends even among his political op- ponents.
TRACY BEADLE.
MR. BEADLE is a native of the town of Otsego, Otsego county, N. Y., and is fifty years of age. His paternal ancestors were residents of the State of Connecticut, and his mother's family came from Massachusetts. Being wholly a self-made man, his education was confined princi- pally to the common schools of his native place. Subse- quently he was employed in the mercantile business, and was for many years an industrious and successful merchant in Cooperstown, in his native county. He afterwards removed to Elmira, Chemung county, where he is now an established and successful banker. Like all self-made men in this country, he is one of the most reliable and influential persons in that section of the State, and by his industry, economy, and indomitable perseverance, has amassed a large fortune. In politics, he was originally a Whig, and was elected to the Assembly as the Union Republican can- didate over a straight Democratic opponent.
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CHARLES D. BENEDICT.
MR. BENEDICT was one of the most intelligent and active, though perhaps not.one of the most influential members of the House in 1862. He was generally con- sidered one of the "right bowers " of Speaker Raymond, to whose nod he was always obedient, and although not objectionable himself, was rendered unpopular by the contact, among the enemies of the Speaker. Neverthe- less, he is a gentleman of very much more than ordi- nary legislative skill and ability, and was always straight- forward, independent, and faithful in the discharge of every duty devolving upon him.
Mr. Benedict is a native of Newburgh, Orange county, N. Y., and is thirty-nine years of age. His father's family lived in Vermont, and his mother's in Massachu- setts. He was originally a Whig, and was elected to the Assembly as the Union candidate over a straight Republican and an out-and-out Democratic opponent. He is a gentleman of fine social qualities, and stands well in the community in which he resides. He is a lawyer of some force, and occupies a creditable position at the bar in the city of Brooklyn.
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LEROY E. BOWE.
The legislative career of this gentleman was neither brilliant nor attractive. Wholly unaccustomed to public life he was but little adapted to the duties devolving upon him. He is the living illustration of the remark of a noted English celebrity, that "no man can be a good lawyer and a good statesman." His position at the bar is prominent and influential in the section of the State where he resides, and he is said to be in the enjoy- ment of a lucrative practice.
Mr. Bowe is a native of the town of Hartwick, Otsego county, N. Y., and is forty-two years of age. His father's family were from Connecticut, and his mother's from Rhode Island. He was originally a Democrat, but joined the late Union movement at the breaking out of the rebellion, and was chosen by that party a member of the Assembly. The habits of industry acquired in his profession were brought with him to the discharge of his public duties at Albany, but he was simply a worker-never a talker.
BENJAMIN E. BOWEN.
DR. BOWEN was born on the 15th of January, 1801, in the town of Coventry, R. I. He is descended from Richard and Ann Bowen, who emigrated from Wales about the year 1640, and settled in Rehoboth, Mass.,
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naming it Swansea, after the place they had left in Wales. They brought with them seven children. Their second son Obadiah, married Mary Clifton, of R. I., about the twentieth year of his age, and had thirteen children, the eldest of whom, Obadiah, 2d, when about twenty- seven years of age, married Abigail Bullock. They had ten children. Their fourth son, Aaron, who was born on the 4th of November, 1691, married Experience Whitaker, in the twenty seventh year of his age. They had nine children. Their fourth son, Aaron, 2d, was born on the 2d of September, 1730, and, at the age of thirty-two, married Elnathan Gorton, of Warwick, R. I. They had thirteen children-seven sons and six daugh- ters. Their third son, Stephen, was married in the twenty-ninth year of his age, to Rebecca Hill, of North Kingston, R. I., and the subject of this sketch was their first child. They both died in Eastford, Connecticut, - the former on the 17th of August, 1837, in the sixty- seventh year of his age, and the latter, on the 27th of September, 1841, in the sixty-ninth year of her age.
Pardon and William Bowen, who were distant rela- tives, were both distinguished physicians, at Providence, in the early part of the present century. The Hon. Jabez Bowen, LL. D., who was Lieutenant-Governor of R. I., and Chancellor of Brown University, was the eldest son of Dr. Ephraim Bowen, and the fifth in de- scent from Richard and Ann, from whom Prof. Francis Bowen was also descended, as were doubtless all the Bowens in the Northern States.
Dr. Bowen received a common school education, and, at the age of twenty-one, removed with his parents to
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Windham county, Conn. He worked at farming during the summer, and taught school in the winter for some eight years. During the latter part of this time he, also, studied medicine, and attended one course of lectures at the Berkshire . Medical Institute, in the fall of 1827. He came to New York the same year, and located at Holland Patent, Oneida county, in June, 1828, at the same time receiving a diploma from the Censors of the Medical Society of that county. He followed the prac- tice of his profession in that place, some seven years, and then removed into Mexico, Oswego county, where he now resides. He held the office of President of the Oswego County Medical Society in 1837, and again in 1851, and in 1846 became a prominent member of the State Medical Society, upon whose recommendation he received the degree of M. D. from the Regents of the University of the state in 1832. He was Postmaster at Holland Patent under Jackson's administration, and at Mexico under President Polk, besides having held several unimportant town offices at both places. He has always been a Democrat of the old school, but was among the first to join the late Union movement, and was chosen to the Assembly by a flattering vote, over a Democratic and Republican opponent. He has been quiet and unpretending in the House, but straight- forward and creditable, and his speech on the Metro- politan Health bill, which passed the House, but was defeated in the Senate, was alike honorable to his head and his heart.
Dr. Bowen was married to Miss Julia Haskin, of Pittstown, Rensselaer county, on the 14th of May, 1829,
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and has had but one child, Frances, who was born at Holland Patent on the 1st of January, 1833, and who was married on the 3d of May, 1853, to George G. French, the present District Attorney of Oswego county.
DANIEL B. BRYAN.
MR. BRYAN is a native of Ovid, Seneca county, N. Y., and is fifty years of age. He is of English, Dutch, French and Irish descent. His father, George Bryan, died on the 11th of August, 1853, at the age of seventy-seven, and his mother, whose maiden name was Jane Covert, is still living at the age of seventy-seven.
Mr. Bryan was educated in a common district school, and was reared a farmer. He has held the office of Postmaster some thirteen years at Sonora, Steuben county, where he now resides, and was a member of the House in 1861, where he was prominently known as a leading member of the Committee on Militia and Pub- lic Defence. He belongs to the Radical wing of the Republican party, having originally been a Free Soil Democrat, and was returned to the Assembly as a straight Republican candidate, by a very largely increased majority, although his opponent was one of the most popular Democrats in his district. He is a plain, sub- stantial farmer of good business capacity, and although quiet and unpretending in whatever he does, has shown himself to be amply qualified for a representative posi-
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tion. His position in the community where he resides is prominent and influential, and he wields a strong personal strength wherever he is known. His constitu- ents could not do better than to send him to the Legisla- ture again.
Mr. Bryan was married in 1838, to Miss Elizabeth B. Hallett, and attends the Methodist Episcopal Church.
JAMES H. BURR.
MR. BURR was a member of the Assembly in 1861, and although a quiet man, wielded a strong influence in the deliberations of that body. He was a member of the Com- mittee on Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties, and did more than any other man in the House, perhaps, to secure the success of Judge Harris as a candidate for United States Senator.
Mr. Burr is a native of Gloversville, Fulton county, N. Y. He was born on the 9th of May, 1816. He is descended from Puritan stock. Both his parents and maternal grand- parents came from Connecticut. His father, James Burr, who was a relative of Aaron Burr, died on the 28th of September, 1853, at the age of seventy-four; and his mother, whose maiden name was Amarillis Mills, died on the 27th of February, 1856, at the age of seventy-three. He received a common school and academical education,
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and was brought up to the manufacture of buckskin mit- tens and gloves, and the dressing of deer skin, which has always since been his chief occupation. At the commence- ment of the business, some years ago, it amounted to only a few hundred dollars, but it now reaches the sum of a half million of dollars a year, at Gloversville alone, where he still resides. He never held any prominent public position until his election to the Legislature, but has always been found honest and straight-forward in the discharge of every duty devolving upon him. He now holds the position of United States Collector in the Eighteenth Congressional District.
Mr. Burr was married on the 29th of September, 1841, to Miss Azuba Warner, of Troy, and belongs to the Baptist Church.
JAMES W. BUSH.
MR. BUSH has died since the adjournment of the Legislature. He was one of the most quiet, though influential men in the House, and has left behind him an extensive circle of warm personal and political friends. He never aspired to political distinction, although fre- quently honored with distinguished marks of public confidence, and has been strictly a business man through life.
Mr. Bush was a native of the town of Ramapo, Rock- land county, N. Y., and was fifty-six years of age. He was, at the time of his death, an extensive coal merchant
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in the city of New York. Politically, he was thorough- ly Democratic in all his views and feelings, and was elected to the Assembly, by a large majority, as the representative of that party in the district. His con- servatism always arrayed him on the side of com- promise in our national difficulties, and he lived just long enough to witness the beginning of those national disasters which he always foretold would be the result of a growing opposition to political concession. The panorama of events, predicted by him are now passing rapidly before us -- the broken sword; the war steed, without his rider ; falling columns and crumbling mon- uments ; prostrate commerce and a bankrupt treasury ; weeping widows and fatherless children.
JOHN CALLAHAN.
MR. CALLAHAN is the present Postmaster of the Assembly-a position to which he was appointed by the present Speaker, Mr. Callicot, without any solici- tation on his part whatever. He was a member of the House in 1861, where he bore an active part, and served with credit as a member of the Committee on Trade and Manufactures. He is always quiet and unassuming in the discharge of his public duties, though is nevertheless quite distinguished for his promptness and efficiency.
Mr. Callahan was born in the city of Cork, Ireland, in 1836, and is descended from unmixed Irish stock.
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He came to the United States in 1843, and took up his residence in the city of New York, where he still re- sides. He received a good business education, and has usually followed the occupation of a plumber. Politi- cally, he has always been a staunch Democrat of the national conservative stamp, but although always active- ly engaged in politics, never occupied any very promi- nent official position until his election to the Legisla- ture. In social life, he is well liked and popular, and makes friends wherever he goes.
JOHN A. CASE.
MR. CASE was born in the town of Lima, Livingston county, N. Y., in 1820. His paternal ancestors came from England. His paternal grandfather served two years in the American army during the Revolution, and had quite an eventful career as a soldier. He was taken prisoner ; carried to England and remained a prisoner until the close of the war-a period of two years, when he was taken over to France and released. He worked his passage home. He took up his residence in Lima, Livingston county, and was one of the first white set- tlers of that locality. He remained there until he died at the advanced age of eighty-nine. The father of Mr. Case was Henry Case. His mother's maiden name was Fanny Burchard. The former died in the year 1831, the latter in 1820.
Mr. Case was educated at the academy in Palmyra, Wayne county, N. Y., and entered upon the business of
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farming. In the year 1855 he returned to Erie county, where he now resides. He has a taste for military affairs ; was formerly a captain of a Cavalry Company in the 67th Regiment N. Y. S. M., and was, in 1862, Major of that Regiment. He has also been a Commis- sioner of the Erie County penitentiary. In politics he was formerly a Whig and now a Republican. He has held the office of Supervisor.
Mr. Case was married in 1840 to Christina M., daugh- ter of Capt. Thomas Peck of Lima, Livingston county, and attends the Congregational church.
NOAH A. CHILDS.
MR. CHILDS was a member of the Assembly in 1858, and again in 1859. During the former year he was Chairman of the Committee on Roads and Bridges, and during the latter a member of the Insurance Committee. Although quiet and unassuming in the discharge of his duties, he was energetic and industrious, and ranked prominently among the more useful and substantial men of the House.
Mr. Childs is a native of Bakersville, Fairfield county, Vermont, where he was born in December, 1810. He is of English descent, and his father was a native of Massachusetts. Colonel Childs, who bore such a gal- lant and conspicuous part in the Mexican war, is a re- lative of his, as are also Daniel Lee Childs, of Boston, and Marcus Childs, of Canada West, who was for
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several years a prominent member of Parliament before the revolution of 1838. Thomas Childs, who was a mem- ber of Congress in 1835, is also one of his brothers.
Mr. Childs was brought up in a dense, uncultivated forest, and received scarcely any educational advantages. At the age of twenty-three he passed a short time in Boston, after which he married Miss Lucia A. Fuller, and removed to the city of New York, where he has since been an active and successful business man, having amassed a handsome property. His election to the House was his first prominent appearance in the political arena, but he has exhibited qualities as a representative which secure him the credit of far more legislative experience. Politically, he has always been a conserva- tive Democrat, and, although not a boisterous politician, is always faithful and diligent in the discharge of all his party trusts and obligations. He attends the Con- gregational Church, and is one of the most generous and benevolent men in the community in which he resides, always giving lavishly of his means to the support of benevolent and religious objects.
DAVID S. CODDINGTON.
This was MR. CODDINGTON's first appearance in a public official position, and he came to Albany as a straight Democrat from the most aristocratic Fifth-Avenue atmos- phere in the Metropolitan city. He is naturally a Demo- crat, of bold and self-reliant character, which gives him
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