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 pre?minent in their own and many other states. V.6 > Part 45
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His son, Charles A. Poole, born in Rochester, died in Detroit, Michigan, September 30, 1907. Charles A. Poole married Amorette Otis, daughter of Wil- liam and Mary A. C. (Late) Otis, the former a native son of the State of Maine, the latter a native of the State of Mary- land. William Otis came to Rochester from Frederick City, Maryland, where their daughter and their illustrious son, General Elwell Stephen Otis, were born, the latter a veteran of two wars and an officer of the United States regular army, brevetted major-general for "military skill and most distinguished service in the Philippine Islands."
Harry Otis Poole, son of Charles A. and Amorette (Otis) Poole, was born in Rochester, New York, October 3, 1871, and since February, 1896, has been a member of the Monroe county bar, prac- ticing in Rochester He obtained his early and preparatory educational train- ing in private New York City schools,
later entering Princeton University, whence he was graduated A. B., class of "93." The three years succeeding his graduation were spent in legal study in Rochester, and in February, 1896, he was admitted to the bar. He began practice in Rochester at once forming a partner- ship with Selden S. Brown, later and now (1916) surrogate of Monroe county. This partnership, conducted under the firm name of Brown & Poole, continued for ten years, terminating January, 1906. From that date Mr. Poole has practiced alone, his offices 339 Powers Building. He is a member of the professional law associations of the City, County and State and of the Rochester Chamber of Com- merce, contributing to all that concerns the work of those organizations as his own time will allow. His club is the Genesee Valley. In political faith a Re- publican, he is interested in party suc- cess, but has studiously refrained from taking such active part in public affairs as to interfere with his usefulness to his clients. He does not, however, lack in public spirit, being fully alive to his duties and responsibilities as a citizen. He is a member of Frank A. Lawrence Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, has attained the thirty-second degree, An- cient Accepted Scottish Rite, and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine belonging to Damascus Temple.
Mr. Poole married, September 22, 1903, Nanette R., daughter of Francis Delano, of Niagara Falls, New York. They are the parents of Elizabeth Delano Poole, born June 22, 1905, and Arthur Otis Poole, born June 28, 1912. The family home is No. 60 Westminster road.
FISHER, Edwin Augustus,
Consulting Engineer.
For nearly half a century Mr. Fisher has been engaged in engineering profes- sionally, and since 1882 he has been a
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resident of the city of Rochester, New York, having previously been a resident of his native State, Massachusetts. His work has been of varied character, but railroad and municipal water works, plan- ning building and operating, have been his special lines. As consulting engineer for the city of Rochester, and corporations of note, he is now realizing the benefit of his many years of arduous labor and in the quieter field of consultation the even- ing of life is being most profitably spent. There are few men whose experience as engineers covers a longer period than his own, and none have won more honorable standing in the profession. He has made it his life work and the time of entrance to the profession as a student has allowed no other interest to intervene. He is widely known to the profession all over the United States, and as director of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and president of the American Society of Municipal Improvements has come in personal contact with many of the leading men and specialists in those lines. His is a genial, warm-hearted, sympathetic nature, and the number of his friends is legion.
Edwin Augustus Fisher was born at Royalston, Worcester county, Massachu- setts, July 17, 1847. He was educated in the public schools and completed a full course in the English branches with grad- uation from the State Normal School at Westfield, Massachusetts. He then began the study of civil engineering, and in school and field work thoroughly pre- pared for the practice of engineering as a profession. From 1870 until 1882 his time was fully employed as an engineer in charge of railroad waterworks and bridge planning and construction in New Eng- land. In 1882 he located in Rochester, New York, as first assistant engineer on the construction of the Genesee Valley
Consolidated Railroad, and from that year Rochester has been his home and the seat of his activity, although his engagements at times took him to other localities for extended periods.
After the completion of his first New York undertaking, he was retained by the Western, New York & Pennsylvania Rail- road as division engineer, continuing in the capacity until 1889, when he was appointed superintendent of the Pitts- burgh division of the road. This called for his almost constant presence in Oil City, Pennsylvania, and when in 1893 there was an opportunity to return to Rochester he embraced it.
From 1893 until 1896 he was chief assistant engineer of the city in charge of the construction of the works giving Rochester an additional water supply, and in 1896 was appointed city engineer. From January 1, 1900, he was in full charge of all city engineering, including the water works, and also was ex-officio, a member of the City Board of Estimate and Apportionment, the Board of Con- tract and Supply, the Examining Board of Plumbers, and secretary of the Market Commission. He continued as city engi- neer with these added responsibilities un- til 1914 when he was appointed consult- ing engineer to the city. He then also opened private offices at 300 Power's Building, and as private consulting engi- neer meets the demands for his profes- sional services. His work in connection with Rochester's engineering problems has been very valuable and has been highly commended by those who pos- sessed full knowledge of the importance of the work he performed.
He is a member of and a past director of the American Society of Civil Engi- neers, member of the American Water- works Association, the New England Waterworks Association, the Rochester
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Engineering Society and the American Society of Municipal Improvements of which he is an ex-president. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic order, belonging to Frank R. Lawrence Lodge, Cyrene Com- mandery, Knights Templar, and Damas- cus Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Mr. Fisher married, February 17, 1875, Ellen F. Breckenridge, of Ware, Massa- chusetts, who died in 1913. They are the parents of Lewis J .; Julia K., wife of Rev. Arthur Clements, deceased ; Florence M., wife of Robert A. Copeland; Edwin H .; William B .; and Fanny B., residing with her parents at the family home, No. 30 Albemarle street, Rochester.
HYDE, Edwin Francis,
Banker, Lawyer, Musical Critic.
Edwin Francis Hyde, a banker of New York City, well known in the legal pro- fession in this city, also in musical circles, and perhaps the best known American in the musical circles of Europe, in which art he has ever taken a profound inter- est, winning a high place in the esteem of musicians and music lovers, is a de- scendant of an old New England family, which has ever been distinguished for talent and high moral principle, charac- teristics which distinguish the present- day members.
The Hydes were a noted family in Eng- land. Sir Nicholas Hyde was chief jus- tice of the King's Bench, and Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, was lord chan- cellor at the restoration, and was grand- father to two queens in the English suc- cession, Mary, the second, and Anne. The Hyde descendants in America were strong in great men, among whom were: Hon. Matthew Griswold, chief justice and governor of Connecticut; Hon. John M. Niles, United States senator and post- master-general in Van Buren's adminis- tration ; the Rev. Edward Duran Griffin,
president of Williams College ; the Hon. William Woodbridge, United States Sen- ator and governor of Michigan.
The American ancestor, William Hyde, came from England about 1633, and after a short sojourn at Newton, Massachu- setts, went with Rev. Thomas Hooker to Connecticut, in 1636, and settled at Say- brook, whence he removed, in 1660, to Norwich, where he was one of the origi- nal proprietors, frequently held office, and died January 6, 1681. His son, Sam- uel Hyde, born about 1637, settled as a farmer in Norwich West Farms, where he was a prominent citizen. He married, in June, 1659, Jane Lee, of East Say- brook, daughter of Thomas Lee. Sam- uel Hyde died in 1677. Their second son, John Hyde, born December, 1667, was a farmer in Norwich on land which was still held by his descendants as late as 1859, and died June 26, 1727. He mar- ried, March 3, 1698, Experience, born De- cember, 1674, in Norwich, daughter of Caleb and Margaret (Post) Abel. Their third son, Captain James Hyde, born February 28, 1707, died April 24, 1793, was a shipmaster. He married, Decem- ber 26, 1743, Sarah Marshall, born April 12, 1720, in Norwich, daughter of Abiel and Abiah (Hough) Marshall, died No- vember 3, 1773. Their second son, Cap- tain James Hyde, was born July 17, 1752, in Norwich, where he made his home, and died April 9, 1809. He was an officer in the Revolutionary army, a local Metho- dist preacher, and a most useful citizen. He married, April 5, 1774, Martha Nevins, born 1756, died 1823. Their eldest child, Erastus Hyde, born February 7, 1775, died October 13, 1849, in Brooklyn, New York. He removed, about 1800, to Mid- dlebury, Vermont, later removed to Mystic, Groton, Bozrah, Connecticut, and finally to New York City. He married, February 26, 1797, Fanny Bell, born 1775, died March 10, 1842, in New York, daugh-
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ter of Captain Joseph and Mary Bell, of Stonington, Connecticut. Their fifth son, Edwin Hyde, born February 19, 1812, in Groton, Connecticut, died in New York City, in 1896. He resided in New York City, where he was a tea merchant. He married, February 24, 1833, Elizabeth Alvina Mead, born in Belleville, New Jer- sey, daughter of Ralph Mead, later of New York, and his wife, Sarah (Holmes) Mead. The Mead family descends from William Mead, a pioneer of Wethersfield, later Stamford, Connecticut.
E. Francis Hyde, son of Edwin and Elizabeth Alvina (Mead) Hyde, was born in New York City, June 23, 1842. He re- ceived his early education in the schools of that city and Middletown, Connecticut. He graduated from the New York Free Academy (now the College of the City of New York) in 1861, and two years later received from Columbia Law School the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In 1862, during the progress of the Civil War, he enlisted his services in defence of the gov- ernment, and served in the United States army in the State of Virginia. In the following year, 1863, he engaged in the practice of law and continued until 1886, a period of almost a quarter of a century, his practice being largely in connection with wills 'and estates, and his varied and extensive knowledge in that line proved a valuable asset to him in his capacity of vice-president of the Central Trust Com- pany of New York, to which office he was elected in 1886, this company having always taken a leading position as a trus- tee of railroad and other corporations and also of personal trusts. In political affairs Mr. Hyde has been accustomed to act with the Republicans. He is an elder of the Presbyterian church ; a trustee of the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions; a member of the New York Sabbath Committee ; a manager of the American Bible Society, and trustee and treasurer
of Princeton Theological Seminary since 1898. His interest in the finer arts and in the general welfare work of the com- munity is well known, and he is esteemed and regarded as one of the promoters of human progress. He is a patron of or- chestral music, and holds membership in the various organizations devoted to the promotion of musical study and composi- tion. From 1888 to 1901 he was presi- dent of the Philharmonic Society of New York, and he is a fellow of the Philhar- monic Society of London, England. In 1903 he organized a plan by which the famous conductors, Wassily Safonoff, Felix Weingartner, Max Fiedler, Edward Colonne, Willem Margelberg, Sir Henry J. Wood, Fritz Steinbach and others were induced to come to the United States for the first time as conductors and direct at the concerts of the Philharmonic Society of New York, thus insuring to the pa- trons of that society a rare musical treat. Mr. Hyde is also a member of the Asso- ciation of the Bar of the City of New York, the New England Society in New York, the Society of Colonial Wars, Sons of the Revolution, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and he holds membership in nu- merous clubs, including the Century, Union League, Metropolitan, University, Riding, City and Downtown.
Mr. Hyde married, November 18, 1868, Marie E. Brown, daughter of Albert N. Brown, a well known merchant of New York City.
BALDWIN, Evelyn, M. D.,
Practitioner.
In no age has the world been so largely indebted to woman as at the present. Thoroughly aroused to the needs which have been brought about through modern conditions and recognizing the value of organized effort, women of to-day are doing a splendid and effective work in
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the professions, charitable and philan- thropic work. Considered the weaker sex for centuries, she has proven herself the peer of the strongest, and during this awful period of devastating war is prov- ing on the battle field, in hospital, in fac- tory, mill, workshop, and field, that even in muscular force she is not unequal to the severest tests. Dr. Baldwin, who since 1892 has practiced medicine in Rochester, is not only a physician of the highest professional class, but is pos- sessed of the womanly graces of mind and character which in combination with her medical skill completes the woman whose aims are unselfish, whose deeds are prompted by the higher motive of sincere interest in and love for humanity. She maintains a beautiful home at No. 4 West avenue, Rochester, also the abode of her widowed mother, and there a charming hospitality is dispensed to their many friends. There Dr. Baldwin also has her professional home and offices from which she dispenses the healing aid she is so well qualified to bestow. Her influence is exerted in behalf of suffering humanity and her worthy life has gone far to break down that unmanly preju- dice, now happily a thing of the past, against the admission of women to the learned professions.
She is a native daughter of New York, born at Wellsville, Allegany county, Sep- tember 29, 1860; her parents, William and Minerva I. (Hamilton) Baldwin. Wil- liam Baldwin spent his early life in Seneca county, New York, was an active business man during his mature years, a merchant and private banker of Hornells- ville and Wellsville. The last year of his life was spent with his daughter, Dr. Baldwin, in Rochester, where he died in 1895, still (1916) survived by his widow. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin were the parents of two children, Herbert E., a druggist of Rochester, and Evelyn, whose career
furnishes the inspiration for this tribute of appreciation.
Evelyn Baldwin completed her pre- paratory education at Rochester High School, later entering Vassar College, pursuing a full course at that famous in- stitution to graduation, receiving her de- gree with the class of "83." Amid the inspiring surroundings of college life, the ambition was formed to become a physi- cian and the high ideals which were then born have been faithfully followed. She prepared at the Woman's Medical Col- lege, New York City, now a department of Cornell University, and in 1892 re- ceived from that institution the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In July following her graduation she located in Rochester, practicing for the first six months in asso- ciation with Dr. Frances F. Hamilton, her aunt. She then opened private offices and has since practiced alone. Her suc- cess has been marked and during her practice of nearly a quarter of a century she had developed a skill in diagnosis and treatment which has brought her profes- sional honor and public esteem. As an obstetrician she has won her greatest reputation and to the complex problems of that branch of the medical profession her special efforts have been directed. Her practice is large, but she meets the demands made upon her for professional service most conscientiously, holding sacred the physician's obligation to answer the calls for assistance no matter at what personal cost. Her life has been both a blessing and an inspiration, and her honorable, upright, ethical profes- sional career has won her the highest re- gard of the medical fraternity.
Dr. Baldwin is a member and an ex- president of the Blackwell Medical Soci- ety of Rochester, organized in 1887, mem- bership limited to women; the Medical Society of the County of Monroe, organ- ized in 1820, open to all regular physi-
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cians; the Rochester Academy of Medi- cine, also open to all physicians, and of the Woman's New York State Medical Society. She keeps in closest touch with modern medical thought and discovery through the medium of these societies, and the medical journals, also by research and investigation, evolving theories of her own, which practice has proven cor- rect. For several years she was con- nected with the City Hospital and in her practice performs a vast amount of work without expectation of fee or reward.
BROWNING, Clarence J., Attorney-at-Law.
From early days in Monroe county, New York, the name of Browning has been a familiar one, Dr. John Browning locating in the town of Mendon in 1816, coming from Massachusetts, where the family ranked with the ancient and honorable. Clarence J. Browning, a twen- tieth century representative, has since 1882 been a member of the Monroe county bar, practicing in Rochester, where he is ranked among the able mem- bers of a bar noted for its men of strength and eminence.
For half a century, 1816-66, John Browning practiced his healing art in the town of Mendon, passing to his reward at the age of eighty-two years. He was a typical doctor of the old school, giving his life for others, riding and driving the lonely trails and roads in all kinds of weather, practicing medicine, surgery, dentistry, dispensing healing and hope, the friend of all and the Nestor of his community.
Alfred P. Browning, son of Dr. John Browning, was born in the town of Men- don in 1821, there passed his life and died December 5, 1906. He pursued the quiet, peaceful life of a farmer, was one of the substantial men of his town, and was
highly esteemed as a man of integrity and character. He married Delia Stearns, whose forbears came to Monroe county in 1816. She died in 1891, the mother of two children, Clara M., wife of William F. Woolston, of Pittsford, Monroe county, New York, and Clarence J., of Rochester.
Clarence J. Browning was born at the homestead in the town of Mendon, Mon- roe county, New York, March 27, 1856. After exhausting the advantages of the public schools of his district, he entered Lima Seminary, there pursuing advanced studies until graduation with the class of 1877. He later began the study of law under the preceptorship of John Van Voorhis, the eminent lawyer of Roches- ter, and continued his study until suc- cessfully passing the examining board in 1882, when he gained admission to the Monroe county bar. He continued in the Van Voorhis law offices after his admis- sion and was associated with that firm until 1888, then began the private prac- tice of his profession. The years have brought their reward, many important cases have been entrusted to his care and brought to successful issue, and the hopes of the young lawyer have ended in fruition. Since 1899 he has practiced alone, the details of a large practice hold- ing his undivided attention. He is mas- ter of the art of presentation and his briefs are models of clearness and dic- tion. His knowledge of the law is deep and comprehensive, his speech eloquent and pleasing. He is a member of the Rochester Bar and other legal societies of the district, and in all State and Fed- eral courts his appearance is frequent. In political faith he is a Republican, but the law is to him a jealous mistress and he owns allegiance to no other.
Mr. Browning married, March 6, 1883, Harriet S. Hastings, of Lima, New York, daughter of George Hastings, of Men- don, New York.
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TOOKE, Charles Wesley, Lawyer, Author.
Charles Wesley Tooke, junior partner of the law firm of Northup, Tooke, Lynch & Carlson, of Syracuse, was born in the town of Onondaga, November 21, 1870. The family is of Scotch-Irish origin, and was founded in America by the great- grandfather of Mr. Tooke, who came to the New World during the latter part of the year 1798 and settled in the town of Eaton, Madison county, New York, on what is still known at the Tooke home- stead. Wesley Fletcher Tooke, father of Charles W. Tooke, was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, who served as pastor in the Oneida conference and later labored earnestly in connection with the churches in Northern New York. He died in the year 1907. His wife, Adelia Elizabeth (Ney) Tooke, was a daughter of Charles Ney, of Vernon, Oneida coun- ty, New York, and a representative of an old New England family of French lineage. Most of this family removed from Connecticut to New York and the Syracuse.
While spending his boyhood in the home of his parents, Charles Wesley Tooke acquired a common school educa- tion and later pursued a preparatory course in Franklin Academy at Malone, New York. In 1887 he matriculated in Syracuse University and was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1891, receiving the key for the scholarship Phi Beta Kappa. He also became a member of the Psi Upsilon. Following his gradu- ation Mr. Tooke engaged in teaching for one year as principal of the schools of Westernville, New York, and the follow- ing year accepted the professorship of mathematics in Genesee Wesleyan Acad- emy at Lima, New York, where he re- mained for a year. The following year
was devoted to post-graduate work in Cornell University, and in 1894-95 he was a fellow in administrative law at Colum- bia University in New York City. From 1895 until 1902 he was connected with the University of Illinois at Urbana, first as Professor of Political Science and afterward as Professor of Law. The Master of Arts degree was conferred upon him at Syracuse University in 1893, and the Bachelor of Laws by the Univer- sity of Illinois in 1898.
In 1902 Mr. Tooke entered upon the active practice of his profession in Syra- cuse and associated with Judge Northrup in general practice with a large and dis- tinctively representative clientage. The present firm, with the addition of Francis J. Lynch and Alexander S. Carlson, is known as Northup, Tooke, Lynch & Carlson. Mr. Tooke is regarded as a capable educator in legal lines and is the author of numerous brochures, including "Translations of the Constitution of Chile," "Uniformity in Municipal Fi- nance" and "Constitutional Limitations
mother is now living with Mr. Tooke in. of Municipal Indebtedness." Aside from
his professional interests, Mr. Tooke is connected with the Oswego Falls Pulp and Paper Company of Fulton, New York, as treasurer and director, and also with the Skaneateles Paper Company as secretary, and is a director in several other large corporations. He is a trustee of Syracuse University and of the First Methodist Church of Syracuse. He be- longs to the Masonic fraternity, to the Citizens' Club and to the University Club, and is also a member of the Amer- ican Economic Association, the American Statistical Association and the Ameri- can Society of International Law. The development of his native talents through wide study and close application have gained him distinction as a sound and able representative of the bar.
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Mr. Tooke was married in 1902 to in the "star class" of the institution, con- Sarah L. Weeks, a daughter of the late sidering the large proportion of its mem- bers who became eminent in public life. Forest G. Weeks, of Skaneateles, New York. Mrs. Tooke died in 1914. He has one son, Charles, born May 29, 1906.
WHITE, Andrew D., Educator, Historian, Diplomat.
Andrew Dickson White was born in Homer, Cortland county, November 7, 1832; elder of two sons of Horace and Clara (Dickson) White ; grandson of Asa and Clara (Keep) White and of Andrew and Ruth (Hall) Dickson. Always of studious disposition, he attended the ele- mentary department of the famous Cort- land Academy at Homer, of which his maternal grandfather was one of the founders. In 1839 his parents removed to Syracuse, where his father became its foremost banker, railway promoter and capitalist-a man of extraordinary execu- tive ability, who died in 1860. There Andrew continued his preliminary educa- tion in the Syracuse Academy and select schools, entering Hobart College in the fall of 1849, wherein he was a member of the Sigma Phi fraternity, (before which he de- livered the address at its summer conven- tion at University of Vermont in 1860) ; but transferred to Yale, where he was affiliated with the Psi Upsilon (junior society ) and "322" or Skull and Bones (senior), being graduated in 1853, especially distinguished in history and belles lettres, being an editor of the "Yale Literary Magazine" and tak- ing the first Clark prize for English dis- putation and the De Forest gold medal, for the best English composition united with the best declamation, esteemed the most shining award the college can bestow, his subject being the "Diplomatic History of Modern Times," possibly in- dicative of the conspicuous figure therein that he was later to assume ; and all these
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