Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 64

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360

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colony of the same name, one of whom reached the country about 1630, and settled in Boston, while the other did not come until several years later, and. in 1635, settled in Hart- ford. It is likely that the last named. who was the younger of the two, adopted the spelling " Olcott," since preserved by his descendants to avoid confusion with his namesake and possible relative. The Hartford settler had been educated in trade in Europe, and brought with him to the new workl. the experience and fruits of successful enterprise. In common with Edward Hopkins, Richard Lord. William Whiting and others, he engaged in trade, for which the Connecticut was supposed to afford great facilities, especially in the traffic in furs. He " first located himself on the east side of the public (now State Houser square, in Hartford. Subsequently he purchased one of the lots assigned to Edward Hopkins, in the original distribution of the town among the first settlers. This lot comprised the whole square fronting on Main street, and bounded by Pearl, Trumbull and Asyhim streets. On the south-east corner he erected a dwelling for his own occu- pation, which continued in the possession of the family for several generations." Thomas Olcott wasa man of excellent standing in Hartford, and, in 1640, was one of the two con- stables of the place. He died in 1651. at the age of 15 years, probably, as it would seem from the records, while on a visit of business to Virginia. He disposed of his property by will on his death-bed. His estate, which was a large one for those days, aggregated nearly $1.500, He left a widow. three sons and two daughters. Mrs. Olcott, whose baptismal name was Abigail. proved fully equal to the management of the estate and family lott in her sole charge by the death of her husband. She bought, let and sold lands, loaned money on mortgage security, made contracts for delivering goods, and, from all accounts, carried on her husband's business " like one to the manor born." She died May 26, 1693, aged 18 years, and was buried with her husband, in the public burying ground in the rear of the C'entre Congregational Church. Hartford. In this burial place stands a plain but massive shaft of stone. erected " In Memory of the First Settlers of Hartford." whose names, including that of Thomas Olcott (here spelled Alcott) are chiseled in its surface.

The sons of Thomas Olcott, who were farmers, resided at Hartford, and were all men of consideration in the colony. Thomas, the eldest, was admitted a freeman May 20, 1658, and Samnel, the second son, on May 12, 1664.

The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was John Easton Olcott (born July 24, 1749), son of Thomas Olcott of Stratford, Conn., and his first wife Sarah Easten, daughter of John Easton of Hartford. He was lireally descended from Thomas Olcott and of the sixth generation of the name in America, and married Hannah Sands of Hempstead. Long Island. For some time after his marriage he resided at Strat- ford, Conn., but subsequently both he and his wife removed to Cornwall, Conn., where they died. Their oklest son. John Sands Olcott, born in the last-named place, removed to Hud- son, N. Y., but subsequently went to Jersey City, then known as Paulus look, where he engaged in the manufacture of cordage, and built the first two rope-walks in the State of New Jersey. One of his brothers. Joseph Il., located as a planter in benisiana and died there during the first year of the Civil War. Another brother, Rev. James S. Olcott, was the first ordained clergyman who c theiated in JJersey City, and it was through his instrumentality that the first church edifice (Dutch Reformeds, waserected in that city. Ho mar- ried Sarah Batchelor, of England, and had nine children right sons and one daughter. Sands Olcott, one of these ons, went to New Hope, Penn., and established extensive

manufactories. He was a born inventor, and expended sev- eral fortunes in carrying on his plans and experiments. One of his projects, undertaken with the hope of competing with the foreign productions, was a manufacture of linen from flax grown in New Jersey. All the machinery used in this work was of his own invention. At one time he had five large factories in successful operation in New Hope, and also the largest rope-walk in the country. Two of his inventions have become widely known-the "Equalizer," for producing uniformity in thread, used in nearly every cotton factory, and the " Walking Jack," extensively employed in the man- ufacture of rope.

The youngest of these sons, Dr. CORNELIUS OLCOTT, of Brock- lyn, whose portrait appears in connection with this sketch. received his early education at the academies of New Hope. Penn., and hambertsville, N. J. He returned to Jersey Uty in 1813, and soon afterwards began the study of medicine. Having finished the prescribed course of training. he was graduated in 1849 at the University of New York, with the diploma of Doctor of Medicine. Ile established himself au Brooklyn in March of the same year, and devoting hitler If with great earnestness to perfecting his knowledge of surgery. soon acquired such a mastery of this department as gave hivi great reputation both with the medical profession and the general public. As a volunteer surgeon he served in the Federal army under MeClellan at Fortress Monroe, and un ler Grant in the Fredericksburgh campaign. Since the war he has devoted himself to general practice in the City of Broek lyn, and has earned a name as a family physician and a su - geon of eminence scarcely second to any other in the State. Hle is a member of the Kings County Medical Society, and takes a deep interest in all that pertains to his chosen calling. In November, 1874, Dr. Olcott performed with signal sieres the difficult operation in midwifery, technically known as the "C'asarian section." An account of this surgical operation. the first successful one of the kind ever reported in Brookog or New York, originally appeared in the _tmerican Jour al of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women und Children, April. 1879. It was subsequently republished in pamphlet form. hu surgical cases requiring more than ordinary skill, his services are in continual request by his brothers in the medical pro- fession in Brooklyn and vicinity, and he has performel with marked success nearly all the more difficult operations of the present day.

Dr. Olcott was the original pioneer settler of Green wood Lake, and it is mainly through his efforts that this beautiful resort has been made what we now is. In 1869, being attra te by the possibilities of the spot, he purchasedl an extensive tract of land at the lake and built a cottage and began other improvements. The sheet of water now known as Greens wood Lake is partly of artificial construction, some three hundred acres of land having been flooded after having been cleared of trees. At the time Dr. Olcott became a property owner at the lake, the stumps of these trees projected above its surface, but he determined to get rid of these unsightly objeets, and having first drained the lake, through the operation of President Randolph of the Morris and Five Canal, he had the objectionable stumps sawed off cheeteth roots. This undertaking-one of no slight magnitude w conducted entirely under his supervision and at bis @WE pense.

Observing the success of Dr. Olcott's plan, the Green mal Lake Railroad Company (which had previously tred m several ways to remove the stumps in another part of the lake), subsequently adopted it, with the happiest effect Ile change wrought by this proceeding was remarkates and the lake, which had heretofore seemed to the canna or

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server-to possess no special charm, speedily became noted for its beauty. In a short time pleasure-seekers and tourists began to be attracted to it ; and with a view to its further development, a number of prominent and wealthy citizens of New York and New Jersey originated the Greenwood Lake Association, of which Dr. Olcott became president. The combined efforts of this club resulted in very elaborate improvements. Besides building an elegant club-house at Warwick Woodlands, the Association has stocked the lake with fish; and, with a view to attracting game, has planted wild rice through the swamps and low-lands of the region. The lake, which is 900 feet above tide-level, is situated partly in Orange county, N. Y., and partly in Passaic county, N. J .: and the Greenwood Lake Association has secured from the Legislatures of both States game privileges cover- ing an area of nearly 50,000 acres of mountain land. This region is now pronounced one of the most attractive and healthful in the country. Its development has been rapid, and as a select summer resort it gives promise of becoming in time a powerful rival of some of the most noted watering places of the present day. It is due to Dr. Olcott to state that the opening of this region, and the impetus given its development was largely the result of his foresight, enter- prise and energy; and that its present condition and future prospects are based upon operations in which he is the mov- ing spirit. One of the receut results of the development of this place has been the founding there of the American In- stitute of Christian Philosophy, organized to promote the broad and liberal discussion of theological questions; the object being to counteract the effect of the teachings of Spencer, Mill, Huxley, and others.

The President of the Institute is the Rev. Charles F. Deems, of New York city, and Dr. Olcott has been con- nected with it since its inception. Dr. Olcott possesses a great share of the modesty that generally accompanies superior merit. He is a man of broad culture and profound thought, and thoroughly versed in all the important sub- jects, which, during the last two or three decades have oc- cupied the attention of the ablest thinkers and writers. He is an intelligent patron of the fine arts, and in his ele- gant home, in one of the most aristocratic parts of Brooklyn, are to be found many beautiful specimens of painting and statuary, some of which are of great value. A man of large heart and kindly sympathies, he is esteemed in the community in which he resides, scarcely less for his unosten- tatious character than for his professional learning and skill.

Dr. Olcott married Miss Katherine M. Van Duzer, daugh- ter of James B. Van Duzer, Esq., and Letitia Van Winkle, his wife, of New York. Three children were born to this marriage - Philip Gordon, who died in infancy; Charles Augustus, and Ida Lillian.

Charles Augustus Olcott adopted the professiou of his father, and was graduated in 1875, at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, witli the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He is uow Surgeon to the Fire Department of Brooklyn, and is associated with his father in general practice. Miss Ida Lillian Olcott, an accomplished young lady of rare mental qualities, although not adopting literature as a life work, signalized herself at the early age of sixteeu by a literary attempt as remarkable as it was successful. This was nothing less than the giving to the English-speaking public a translation of a work entitled, La Morale Nella Filosofia Positiva, from the pen of Prof. Giacomo Barzel- lotti, of Florence, the American edition of which, under the title of "Ethics of Positivism," she edited with entire satisfaction to the learned Italian author, who compliments her labors in his preface to that edition in terms of uuquali-

fied praise. She was led to this effort, extraordinary for one of her years, through reading iu one of Herbert Spencer's works. that that cminent psychologist regretted Professor Bar- zellotti's book had not been translated into English; and mas- tering difficulties that would have discouraged at the outset a much older and more experienced person, brought the translation successfully through the press, in her extreme youth braving criticism, from which, however, the merit of her labor effectually shielded her .*

THOMAS P. NORRIS, M. D.

THOMAS P. NORRIS, M. D .- Few men in Kings county have been brought more conspicuously before the public than Dr. Norris.

He is conspicuous not only as a physician and surgeou, but as a politician and civilian who has discharged the duties of several official positions with marked ability: who has dis- tinguished himself as a logical, erudite and elegant writer, whose productions have been justly and widely commended. As a statistical writer, we do not hesitate to say he stands pre-eminent, as his contributions in that department of writing for the New York Tribune, the Brooklyn papers, and many of the leading magazines, fully illustrate.

Thomas P. Norris was born December 23d, 1831, at the town of Rush, fourteen miles from the city of Dublin, Ire- laud. He came from an old and very respectable family iu that part of the country. His father ranked among the most noted master builders and contractors of his time: he was a man of great purity of character, intelligent, of strong feel- ings, and a sympathetic uature. He fell a victim to the great cholera epidemic in 1832, leaving a widow and six children, of whom Dr. Norris was the youngest. His mother, before lier marriage, was a Miss Rogers, of Rogerstown, Ire- land, a descendant of one of those old aristocratic families who are strongly attached to their homestead by virtue of the laws of primogeniture. She was a lady of unusual intelligence and force of character. After the death of her husband, the guidance and management of her six children imposed a great responsibility upon her, which she discharged with praiseworthy success. As she possessed in her own right considerable property, and received from her husband's estate a handsome allowance, she possesscd the means of rearing and educating her children respectably. A few years atter the death of her husband she emigrated to the United States with her family, and settled in the city of New York.

Young Norris was immediately placed at the parish school of St. Patrick's Cathedral, where he evinced a decided love of study, and where he showed great proficiency as a scholar. Having attained the age of fourteen, he entered a large drug house in the city of New York, where he became a proficient in Materia Medica, which prepared him to commence his medical studics.

In the meantime he was forming his plans for the future, and with great industry studying for the medical profession. In the winter he attended lectures at the medical school of the New York University, graduating in the spring of 1854: besides the regular diploma, he received a degree of "Honor," which-to use the language of the certificate-"was giveu in consideration of his having pursued a fuller course of medical studies than is usually followed by students." Not long after receiving his degree, he was appointed Examin- ing Surgeon in the United States Army, for North-western Ohio, and at once entered upon his professional duties. He

* The publishers acknowledge, with the highest gratification, the obligations they are under to a gifted and accomplished friend of the subject of the foregoing admirably written biography, for its con- tribution to the History of King County.

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

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devoted him self to them so intensely that his health became impaired, and he was compelled to resign; after which he went to Brooklyn, the home of his wife. Not long after this she died. Her death was soon after followed by thit of his mother.

He was prosperous and successful in his profession, and had attained a position so eminent, and an influence as a practitioner anl as a citizen so extensive, that he was ap- pointed to superintend the Marshals in taking the United States C'ensus for Kings county, a trust which he discharged so satisfactorily that he received the thanks of United States Superintendent Kennedy. It was during the discharge of these duties that he first exhibited his rare statistical abili- ties, in compiling numerous tables of statistics relating to the various interests of Kings county. These were apart from the regular tables, and have often been referred to as matters of authority. Dr. S.iles, in his valuable History of Brooklyn. embodied many of these tables in his work. These produc- tions were published in most of the leading journals. Their merits were so thoroughly appreciated that they brought Dr. Norris prominently and favorably before the public.

To use the language of the Brooklyn Eagle, "Dr. Norris is an able and accomplished statistician. He knows all about Brooklyn, and can describe almost everything it contains; indeed, he ha; done so." The Eagle might have said the xime of Dr. Norris in regard to the city of New York.

He was nominated by the Unionists for Coroner and elected by a large majority. In the discharge of the duties of this office he exhibited snch high professional abilities, united with so much judicial acumen, that he soon stood prominent among the coroners of the state. There were several terrible accidente within his jurisdiction, the investigation of

which required the highest abilities and learning. Among these was the explosion of the United States gunboat " Cho- mango," in April, 1864, while on her trial trip, whereby thirty persons lost their lives. The investigation of this explosion before Coroner Norris, was long, close and interesting. It involved the consideration of many abstruse, scientifi questions. The charge of Dr. Norris to the jury was one of the ablest and most exhaustive judicial and scientific pro- ductions on record. It was subsequently published, with the other proceedings. by Messrs. Ilurd & Houghton, of New York. in book form, finding a welcome place in the best law and scientific libraries in the state and nation. The inquiry into another terrible explosion-that of a coal-oil still, led to another long and interesting investigation before Dr. Norris, as coroner, which for a long time attracted public interest.

In 1874, he was, without any previous knowledge or solici- tation on his part, nominated and elected Commissioner of Charities for Kings County to fill an unexpired term of one year : he was afterwards elected for the full term of the years.

Dr. Norris brought to this office most admirable qualifi- cations, rendered practical and profitable by the adminis- tration of his duties as Coroner. During the time he held this otlice, $200.000 a year was saved to the county. Sub- sequently, he successfully engaged in an effort to improve the condition of the insane of the county. His labors in that di- rection aroused much public attention, and were highly commended by the press and the people.

In the fall of 1874, Dr. Norris was elected Superintendent of the Poor of Kings County, entering upon his duties Jan ary 1, 1875, and discharging the duties of that office during the

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years 1875, '76 and '67. He took an important part in the Con- vention of the Superintendents of the Poor held at Pough- keepsie, June 8th and 9th, 1875; in that held at Saratoga, June 13th and 14th, 1876; and in that held at Binghamton, June 12th and 13th, 1877. His speech at the Convention at Poughkeepsie, on the subject of "Out-door Relief to the Poor," was highly commended. He was elected Chairman of the Convention held at Binghamton, June, 1877. The records of those conventions bear creditable evidence of Dr. Norris' ability as a parliamentarian. We have already alluded to him as a writer, to which we may add that his productions are numerous, and are read with avidity and profit.

As Dr. Norris is comparatively a young man; his expe- rience, his learning, his well-matured mind and the esteem in which he is held by the citizens of Brooklyn, give promise of future usefulness and distinction.

DR. GEORGE WACKERHAGEN.

DR. GEORGE WACKERHAGEN was born at Albany, N. Y., October 28th, 1845. The name of Wackerhagen consists of two German words, " Wacker," vigorous, brave ; and " ha- gen," to hedge, or a hedge. His father was George Augustus Gerard Wackerhagen, a native of Hanover, Germany, and a nephew of Rev. Dr. Augustus Wackerhagen, a distin- guished scholar and minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The genealogy of the Wackerhagen family can be easily traced back several hundred years, forming an interesting history for the various high public official positions in church and state which its members have held. The Wackerhagen domain at one time composed a portion of what is now the city of Hanover, Germany. Dr. Wackerhagen's grandfather, Charles Wackerhagen, was engaged in diplomatic services, and later was Postmaster-General of Harborg. The doctor's great-uncle, George Wackerhagen, for whom he was named, was a distinguished character in Germany. He was born in 1778, and when 14 years of age he entered the Hanoverian Army as a cadet ; he was engaged in active service in Fland- ers for nine years ; was captured by the French in 1801 ; after his release he entered the University of Gottingen, where he completed his studies. He afterwards entered the Anglo- German Legion which formed a part of the English army in Spain. This Legion was under the command of the celebra- ted Sir John Moore. He entered this service with the rank of Captain and was soon promoted to Major. He was a personal friend of the Duke of Wellington. At the siege of Bay- onne he commanded a battalion of German and English. During the siege, the French broke out of their works, attack- ing his position ; but, in spite of their repeated attacks, he maintained his position until the enemy were largely re-en- forced, and Major Wackerhagen being left almost alone, and severely wounded in two places, ordered the remainder of his troops to retire, and sank senseless to the ground. The enemy, seeing their object was unattainable, retired, taking with them a few prisoners, among whom was Major Wackerhagen. After his discharge from captivity, he was promoted to the rank of Lieut .- Colonel, and his subsequent history was hon- orable and distinguished.

When old enough, Dr. Wackerhagen entered Trinity School on the Hudson, where he obtained a thorough practical edu- cation. Early in life he had evinced a decided love for the study of medicine. On completing his classical studies he immediately commenced preparing to enter a profession for which he seemed by nature especially qualified. We find him giving his attention to the study of medicine at the early age of fifteen. While pursuing it, the rebellion

broke out, and the young student, imbued with a high spirit of patriotism, enlisted as a private in the U. S. V. S. The Rebellion had then been in progress a year. He soon became a well-drilled, brave and competent soldier. In his first en- gagement the battalion to which young Wackerhagen be- longed began to retreat, when he, by his bravery and pres- ence of mind, arrested the flight of his fellow-soldiers, restored order, and in due time they captured the breastworks from behind which the rebels were pouring a destructive fire. A number of prisoners taken by the regiment added largely to its laurels and to those of young Wackerhagen. He was then but seventeen years of age. Dr. Wackerhagen was at the siege of Port Hudson, where he was attacked by illness which incapacitated him from active duty for a time. On his recovery he was detailed as apothecary at the U. S. G. Hospital at Baton Rouge, where he continued the study of medicine with such success that upon examination he was con- sidered entirely competent for hospital steward in the regular U. S. Army, to which place he was duly appointed by the Secretary of War. In 1866, desirous of attending medical lectures, he tendered his resignation, which was accepted, and he took his first course of lectures at the University of the City of New York. He pursued his studies and attended lectures until 1869, when he graduated at the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons, and entered at once upon active prac- tice in the city of Brooklyn, where he has continued down to the present time. His success was assured from the be- ginning of his medical career, and though still a young man, he has made his way to the front rank of his profession in surgery.

Dr. Wackerhagen is an able, thoughtful and vigorous writer, and has largely enriched the literature and learning of his profession with the productions of his pen.

The following are among his contributions to the New York Medical Journal, which gained for their writer much credit in and out of the profession: "Case of Posterior Angular Curvature of the Spine, with Paralysis of the Lower Extremities, complicated with Permanent Muscular Contrac- tions." This appeared in August, 1874. In October, 1874, he contributed an article on " A New Method of Applying Plaster of Paris for Fracture of the Bones of the Leg." This was his own discovery and has proved eminently successful.

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Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 64

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : Munsell Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360