USA > New York > Encyclopedia of biography of New York, a life record of men and women whose sterling character and energy and industry have made them preeminent in their own and many other states, Vol. 2 > Part 10
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On the formation of the Republican party, Mr. Stanford became interested in politics, and in 1860 was made a delegate to the national convention at Chicago which nominated Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency. On Lincoln's inaugura- tion in 1861, Mr. Stanford spent some time in Washington, and the President repeatedly advised with him in regard to the political attitude of the Pacific coast. In the autumn of the same year he was elected by an overwhelming majority to the governorship of California, an office which he occupied with such conspicu- ous success and such general popular approval, that on his retirement from office a joint resolution was voted by both parties in both branches of the Legisla- ture tendering to him "the thanks of the people of California for the able, upright and faithful manner in which he has dis- charged the duties of Governor for the past two years." Prior to his election as Governor Mr. Stanford had been chosen president of the newly organized Central Pacific Railroad Company, and after leaving the executive chair he devoted all his energies to the execution of the great task of building the Pacific slope section of the transcontinental railway. The apparently insuperable difficulties en- countered and overcome in laying the track from Ogden to San Francisco, par- ticularly through the passes of the Sierra Nevadas, have often been described. The cost of construction of this portion of the line alone, a hundred miles in length, was more than $20,000,000. On May 10, 1869, Mr. Stanford drove the last spike of the Central Pacific road, thus completing the route across the continent. The entire Central Pacific system, with its leased lines, eventually embraced a mile- age of 4,303 miles. It also operated the Sacramento & Colorado River Steamship line, making a total mileage of 4.793 miles. Mr. Stanford was also president of the
Occidental & Oriental Steamship Com- pany, the Japan & China line running in connection with the Central Pacific system.
He married, in 1848, the daughter of the late Dyer Lathrop, sheriff of Albany county, whose father was an officer in the Revolutionary War. It was many years after the marriage before a child was born to them-a son, who was given his father's name, and to whose future the parents became entirely devoted. The child grew to be sixteen years of age, and was remarkably bright, intelligent and affectionate. In 1884, while the family was sojourning at Florence, Italy, the lad was taken ill with typhoid fever, and soon passed away. A most remarkable occurrence is told in this connection. While Governor Stanford was watching by his boy's bedside, wearied with the prolonged care, he dropped asleep, and in that sleep he dreamt that his son said to him: "Father, don't say you have nothing to live for ; you have a great deal to live for; live for humanity, father." While this dream was passing through the brain of the father, death took the child. So utterly prostrated by his loss was Mr. Stanford that but for the impres- sion of his dream, and the reflections upon it, the most serious consequences might have occurred to himself. Determined to carry out the idea suggested, he made up his mind to found the great university which bears his son's name-the Leland Stanford Junior University. This institu- tion, to which he gave 83,000 acres of land, valued at $8,000,000, is located twenty-eight miles from San Francisco, is entirely unsectarian, and affords equal facilities to both sexes. The entire endow- ment of the institution is estimated at $20,000,000. The estate, called "Palo Alto," contains a lot of about ten acres which is used as a burial place by the Stanford family and for persons con-
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nected with the university. In 1885 Mr. Stanford was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate from California, to succeed J. T. Farley, Democrat. In 1891 he was reelected. As a Senator, Mr. Stanford took a prominent part in legislation, and was an earnest advocate of plans for the relief of the people from financial burdens.
Mr. Stanford was a liberal patron of art, and possessed a valuable collection of paintings at his elegant residence in San Francisco. "Stanford Farm," his favorite country seat, is situated at Menlo Park, in the Santa Clara valley, about forty miles from San Francisco. A magnificent villa stands in the center of four hundred and fifty acres of park and lawn. Thousands of superb trees make this estate one of the most remarkable arboreta in the world, the owner's aim having been to gather there a sample of every tree which can be made to grow in the soil of Cali- fornia. At one time Mr. Stanford also had a residence in New York City. After his election to the Senatorship he took a house in Farragut Square, Washington, close by the residence of Baron de Struve, Minister from Germany. He died at his home, "Palo Alto," California, June 20, 1893.
CROSBY, Howard,
Clergyman, Educator.
The Rev. Howard Crosby was born in New York City, February 27, 1826, a great-grandson of William Floyd, one of the signers of the Declaration of Inde- pendence, and a grandson of Dr. Ebenezer Crosby, who was surgeon to Washing- ton's Life Guard during the Revolution- ary War, and subsequently a professor in Columbia College. His father, Wil- liam B. Crosby, inherited from Colonel Henry Rutgers nearly all of the present seventh ward of New York, and, until
John Jacob Astor accumulated his vast landed property, was one of the largest real estate owners of his time. He de- voted himself to the care of his property, and to deeds of public benevolence and private charity.
Howard Crosby, son of William B. Crosby, entered the University of the City of New York at the age of fourteen, graduated when eighteen, and at twenty- five was appointed to the professorship of Greek in that institution. In the follow- ing year he was elected president of the Young Men's Christian Association of New York. In 1859 he was made Pro- fessor of Greek in Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey, then under the presidency of Theodore Frelinghuysen, to which institution his great-uncle, Colonel Henry Rutgers, of the Revolu- tionary army, had given his name and liberal donations. Meantime Professor Crosby was also a theological student, and in 1861 he was duly ordained in the ministry and became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of New Brunswick, also retaining his professorship. In 1863 he resigned both positions to accept the pastorate of the Fourth Avenue Presby- terian Church of New York. In the fol- lowing year he was elected one of the council of the University of the City of New York, and not long afterward was chosen its vice-president, a position he held until the time of his death. In 1870 he was elected chancellor of the univer- sity, and, still retaining his pastorate, he served in that capacity until 1881. From 1872 to 1881 he was one of the American company of revisers of the Bible. In 1873 he was chosen moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, and in 1877 was its delegate to the Pan-Presbyterian Council in Edin- burgh, Scotland. In addition to his clerical and educational work, Dr. Crosby was active in benevolent and reformative
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affairs of a public character. In 1877 he founded and acted as president of the Society for the Prevention of Crime, an organization seeking by means of State and municipal legislation, to restrict the use of spirituous liquors, and his labors in that direction received such general approval that in 1888 he was appointed by the Legislature a member of the State commission to revise the excise laws.
Dr. Crosby wrote commentaries on the Books of Joshua and Nehemiah, and on the entire New Testament, a volume of Yale lectures, as well as ten other works of a religious or semi-religious character, besides scores of pamphlets, and almost innumerable articles for the reviews. He took an active part in the advancement of the international copyright law, and was a member of the American committee to revise the New Testament. The degree of D. D. was awarded him by Harvard College in 1859, that of LL. D. by Co- lumbia University in 1871. Dr. Crosby died of pneumonia, in New York City, March 29, 1891.
BELKNAP, William W., Civil War Soldier, Cabinet Official.
General William Worth Belknap was born in Newburg, New York, September 22, 1829, son of General William Gold- smith Belknap, who was prominent in the Mexican War, and was brevetted briga- dier-general for services at the battle of Buena Vista.
William. W. Belknap entered Princeton College in 1848, and after his graduation became a student in the law office of Hugh Caperton, of Georgetown, D. C. He was admitted to the bar in 1851, and removed to Keokuk, Iowa, where he opened a law office, and formed a part- nership with R. P. Lowe, afterward Gov- ernor of the State. He became prominent as a lawyer and as a Democratic politi-
cian, and in 1857 was elected a member of the State Legislature. On the outbreak of the Civil War, he was commissioned major of the Fifteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteers, and at the battle of Shiloh covered himself with honor. Here he was severely wounded, but remained on the field until the close of the first day's fighting. Throughout the war the fullest confidence was reposed in Belknap by Grant, Sherman, McPherson, and every other general under whom he served. Every promotion which he received he won on the battlefield. In 1864, after the battle of Atlanta, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, and placed in command of the Iowa Brigade, at the head of which he marched to the sea under Sherman, and at the close of the war he was in command of the Fourth Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps. General Belknap was offered a field officer's commission in the regular army, but declined it. In 1865 he was appointed collector of internal revenue in Iowa, and he held that position until October 13, 1869, when General Grant appointed him Secretary of War. He held this place until March 7, 1876, when he was charged with official corruption, and was permit- ted to resign. He was afterward im- peached by the House of Representatives before the Senate, on the accusation that he promised to appoint Caleb P. Marsh to the charge of a trading department at Fort Sill, in consideration of a sum of money to be paid quarterly to Belknap or his agent. The impeachment proceedings were quashed in the Senate on the ground of lack of jurisdiction, but, on the ques- tion of guilty or not guilty, thirty-seven voted guilty, and twenty-three not guilty. It was generally believed among those best informed regarding the details of this scandal, that General Belknap was inno- cent of complicity as to the improper acts charged against him, and that he was
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even ignorant of the facts of the case. After his retirement from public life, General Belknap resided for some time in Philadelphia, but from 1876 until the time of his death he lived in Washington, and carried on the practice of law success- fully. He was found dead in his bed on October 13, 1890, and is supposed to have died some time on the previous day, which was Sunday, October 12th. Gen- eral Belknap was three times married; his first wife was a sister of General Hugh T. Reid; after her death he married Miss Carita Tomlinson, and after her death, in 1870, he married her sister, Mrs. John Bower, of Cincinnati.
AGNEW, Cornelius Rea, Physician, Sanitationist.
Cornelius Rea Agnew was born in New York City, August 8, 1830, son of William and Elizabeth (Thomson) Agnew. His early ancestors were Huguenots, who in consequence of persecutions fled to Ire- land, and settled near Belfast, where they intermarried with Scotch-Irish families and became identified with the Reformed Presbyterian church. The first of the family in America was John, grandfather of Dr. Agnew, who established a large commission and shipping business in New York City.
Dr. Cornelius Rea Agnew received his early education in private schools, and entered Columbia College in his six- teenth year, and from which he was graduated in 1849. He began the study of medicine under Dr. J. Kearney Rogers, a surgeon and eye specialist, and con- tinued his studies in the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons, New York City, from which he was graduated in 1852, and in the New York Hospital. He practiced medicine for a year in what is now Houghton, on Lake Superior, and then, having been offered an appointment as
surgeon of the Eye and Ear Infirmary of New York City, he went to Europe to further prepare himself for the duties of that position. After studying in the hos- pitals of Dublin, London and Paris, he returned to New York City, where in addition to his position in the Eye and Ear Infirmary, he also cared for a large general practice, and acquired great experience in eye and ear diseases. In 1858 he was appointed Surgeon General of the State of New York. During the Civil War he served for a time as medical director of the State Volunteer Hospital in New York ; and was subsequently head of the society to obtain medical supplies for regiments passing through New York to the seat of war. In 1864 he indus- triously aided in organizing the United States Sanitary Commission, on which he served with unremitting zeal. Dr. Charles J. Stillé says, in his "History of the United States Sanitary Commission :" "Dr. Agnew exhibited a practical skill, executive ability, and at all times a per- fect generosity of personal toil and trouble in carrying on the commission's work, which gave him during its whole progress a commanding influence on its councils. It is not too much to say that the life-saving work of the commission at Antietam, the relief which it afforded on so vast a scale after the battles of the Wilderness, and the succor which it was able to minister to the thousands of our soldiers returning to us from rebel prisons, diseased, naked and famishing, owed much of their efficiency and success to plans arranged by Dr. Agnew, and carried out at personal risk and incon- venience under his immediate superin- tendence." With Drs. Wolcott Gibbs and William H. Van Buren, Dr. Agnew drew for the United States Quartermaster's Department plans which were subse- quently carried out in the Judiciary Square Hospital at Washington, and par-
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tially followed in the pavilion hospital system of the war. He was one of four who founded the Union League Club in New York City in aid of the national cause at the outbreak of the rebellion. In 1868 he founded the Brooklyn Eye and Ear Hospital, and in 1869 the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital of New York. He was for many years a manager of the New York State Hospital for the Insane at Poughkeepsie, and he served as trustee and subsequently as president of the New York school board. He served as secre- tary of the first society organized in New York for sanitary reform, and aided in preparing the first draft of the city health laws.
Dr. Agnew was a member of the Medico Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh, Scotland; the New York Academy of Medicine, Pathological Society and Medi- cal and Surgical Society ; the American Ophthalmological Society, of which he was also president, and the New York Academy of Sciences, and president of the Medical Society of the State of New York. He wrote voluminously on medical subjects for many scientific journals, and also published several short works in pamphlet form. He died in New York City, April 18, 1888.
BUTTERFIELD, Daniel,
Volunteer Soldier of the Civil War.
General Daniel Butterfield was born at Utica, New York, October 31, 1831. He was graduated from Union College in his eighteenth year, and afterward for a time was engaged in the service of the Mohawk division of the New York Central rail- road. He subsequently became general superintendent of the eastern division of the American Express Company.
From his youth he had an ambition for military life. He served in the New York militia in the Seventy-first and Twelfth
regiments from 1851 to 1861, and was colonel of the latter regiment at the breaking out of the rebellion, when he led it to the front, and was with the advance into Virginia. He was soon commis- sioned lieutenant-colonel in the United States regular army, and brigadier- general of volunteers. He served through the Peninsular campaign, was wounded at Gaines's Mills, and covered the retreat to and from Harrison's Landing. He took part in all the battles of August and September, 1862, and was promoted to major-general of volunteers November 29th, and commissioned colonel of the Fifth United States Infantry, July 1, 1863. He commanded the Fifth Corps at Fred- ericksburg, Virginia, and was chief-of- staff of the Army of the Potomac in the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg cam- paigns, and was wounded in the battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 1863 he was transferred to the Army of the Cum- berland, and became chief-of-staff of the consolidated Eleventh and Twelfth corps under General Hooker at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, Missionary Ridge, and several subsequent actions. He commanded a division of the Twentieth Corps in the Georgia campaign under General Sherman, and was brevetted brigadier-general and major-general in the regular army for gallant and meritor- ious services. He was the originator and author of the system of army corps badges, flags, and other identifying de- vices adopted in the Army of the Poto- mac, and after followed in other armies. He was the author of a standard work on "Camp and Outpost Duty for Armies in the Field." After the war General But- terfield had charge of the recruiting service, and of the forces in New York harbor, commanding Governor's Island, David's Island, and Bedloe's Island, 1865- 69.
Resigning from the army, General But-
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terfield became Assistant United States Treasurer in New York City and after- wards organized and built a railway in Central America. He planned, organized and commanded the civic parade on the third day of the Washington Centennial celebration in New York, May 1, 1889, the largest movement of civilians in a public demonstration ever known on this continent or in modern history also. He organized and moved the great demon- stration at the funeral of General Sher- man, as the representative of Generals Howard and Slocum. In 1891 he was elected president of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, of which body he was the principal founder. He was for thirty years a trustee of the Citizens' Savings Bank in New York City, and was in 1893 the only living member of that board who had been with the bank from its foundation. He was president of the National Bank of Cold Spring, his country home. He declined the Republi- can nomination for Congress in the Tenth Congressional District of New York City in 1891.
In September, 1886, at St. Margaret's, Westminster, England, General Butter- field married Mrs. Julia L. James, of New York, the Bishop of Bedford and Canon Farrar performing the ceremony. He died in 1901.
GRACE, William R., Financier, Mayor of New York.
Hon. William Russell Grace, eldest son of James and Ellen Mary (Russell) Grace, was born at Riverstown, Cove of Cork, County Queens, Ireland, May 10, 1832. He early displayed that bold, deter- mined, and self-reliant spirit which char- acterized his ancestors. At the age of fourteen, believing that the rural districts of Ireland held no future for him, he left school and home, and, working his way
on a sailing vessel, came to New York City. There he obtained employment, but two years later returned to his home in Ireland. His father, in the hope of finding opportunities in South America for repairing his shattered fortunes, em- barked in 1850 for Peru, and the son ac- companied him to that distant land. Entering the shipping house of Bryce & Company, at Callao, as a clerk, William at once demonstrated a marked capacity for business, and two years later was admitted to partnership in the firm, which thereupon became Bryce, Grace & Company, and subsequently Grace Broth- ers & Company (Michael P. Grace, Wil- liam's younger brother, being admitted as a partner). The only American house of consequence in Callao, and having agen- cies in all the principal ports of Peru and Chili, with excellent connections in the United States and England, the firm rapidly rose to distinction, and for many years acted as representative for Baring Brothers. During our Civil War it rendered important services to the United States government. Callao was then the principal basis for naval supplies on the west coast of South America, and vessels of the United States navy frequently called there. All the native and English commercial houses decided to refuse them credit for supplies ; whereupon Mr. Grace's firm promptly placed its entire resources at their disposal.
In 1865, his health having become seriously impaired, he left Peru, being succeeded in the management of the busi- ness by his brother. After a brief stay in the United States he revisited Ireland, purchasing a large estate in the northern part of Queens county. Finding that the surrounding landlords had entered into a very unjust combination against the working people in the matter of wages, he declined to become a party to their selfish arrangement, paid the highest rates pre-
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vailing elsewhere, and in the end com- pelled the other proprietors to join in the same course of fair dealing. With the full recovery of his health Mr. Grace felt an impatience to resume active business life, and, placing the Irish property in the charge of his brother, John, he located in New York and in 1868 established the house of W. R. Grace & Company. In this venture his abilities secured for him a high degree of success from the begin- ning, and his firm has long been one of the most eminent in the shipping trade in the American metropolis, and one of the most widely known throughout the world. At the same time the original Peruvian concern continued its career with increasing prosperity. In 1886 it became the agent of various foreign creditors of Peru for the settlement of claims; and under this arrangement, through the management of Michael P. Grace, an adjustment was effected in 1890 which involved the payment of the enor- mous sum of $290,000,000 in gold.
In 1891 Mr. Grace organized and estab- lished the New York & Pacific Steamship Company, Limited, with seven large steamships, constructed specially for the requirements of the trade of his house, plying between New York and Guaya- quil, Ecuador, by way of the Straits of Magellan. Incidental to his business in- terests, he acquired valuable nitrate of soda properties in Chili, and sugar estates and cotton mills in Peru, besides taking a leading part in railway development in both countries. In New York City, aside from his immediate interests, he was identified with many other large business enterprises. He was president of the Export Lumber Company, the Ingersoll Sergeant Drill Company, and the Hamil- ton Banknote Company, vice-president of the Fernbrook Carpet Company, director of the Lincoln National Bank, the Lin- coln Safe Deposit Company, and the
Terminal Warehouse Company, and re- ceiver of the Continental Life Insurance Company, whose affairs he wound up satisfactorily.
As a citizen of New York, he was actuated at all times by an earnest and conscientious public spirit. A Democrat in political belief and national affiliations he represented that section of his party which was opposed to the domination of Tammany in the metropolis. In 1880 and again in 1884 he was elected mayor of the city as the candidate of the anti-Tam- many element of the Democracy. Both his administrations were characterized by a thorough and vigorous application of the principles of municipal government for which he stood, reform of corrupt abuses, and elevation of the standards of public service. His name will always be remembered in the history of the city as that of one of its best mayors. In the sphere of national affairs also he exer- cised a commanding influence, being de- voted heart and soul to the ideas and policies represented by Grover Cleveland, and contributing powerfully to the elec- tion of Mr. Cleveland in 1884 and 1892. The movement to erect a monument to General Grant at Riverside Park began during his administration, and the Grant Monument Association was organized with Mayor Grace as president. He bent his whole energies to accomplish the object, and over half a million dollars was raised. The association subsequently came under the management of the Grand Army of the Republic, General Horace Porter being the leading spirit, the remainder of the money was raised, and the monument was completed.
In his private character Mr. Grace was a man most loyal to obligations and friendships, and of forceful but genial and charming personality. His charities were extensive, and were distinguished by a particularly practical tendency. In 1879,
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