USA > New York > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and family history of New York, Volume III > Part 9
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cisive language and clear reasoning and his oral arguments such as to challenge the attention of all in the court room, and much easier to overrule than to answer. As an advocate he had the power to grasp a case and hold it in view from the opening to the end. His power to distinguish errors and his analysis of testimony were only equaled by his power to combine all the facts of a case in a harmonious chain of logic from beginning to end. His style was chaste and direct, and if true eloquence con- sists in the power to convince he was an orator of high degree. To sum up in a word, whatever we may say of the splendid abili- ties of some of our brethren in particular branches of the pro- fession, I think it will be conceded that Winchester Britton, in the variety of the cases in which he was employed, the learning and ability he displayed at all times, and the success he achieved, he was as eminent as any man who has practiced at this bar within our recollection. It is not, however, as a lawyer or advo- cate that his example is most to be prized, but his service in the profession to others and his qualities as a man. He lived de- voted to his profession and his legal brethren. While his mind and disposition were in the highest degree combative-which led him in a legal contest to neither give nor ask quarter-yet when the contest was over the hand of friendship was never refused or the animosities of conflict remembered. The stores of his learning were ever open to his younger brethren and he never turned a deaf ear to one who called upon him in distress. Of him it may be truly said 'Friendship made no demands he found too exacting.' I regard it a high compliment to his character that he was not successful in politics. He was too bold, frank and outspoken to submit patiently to any defeat, but at all times, under all circumstances, maintained undaunted his own self- respect. While he was justly entitled to the highest honors of his profession and was fitted for the most responsible public sta- tion, he was better fitted to illustrate the dignity and purity of private life. His hopes, his ambition, his duty were all centered in his family. A kind and indulgent father, a loving and faithful husband, he filled the measure of his duty in every relation in life. Duty was the pole star of his existence. He died as he would have wished, not from a lingering disease, but like a true knight, with his armor on and in the arena of battle, in undi- minished vigor of body and without a ray of his intellect dimmed. Death had no terrors for Brother Britton. He believed that the grave was but the black portal opening to a better world. The career of a good citizen, an able lawyer, a wise counsellor, a
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steadfast friend, a kind father and a faithful husband is ended. May his surviving brethren each lead a life as pure and leave a fame as bright."
General B. F. Tracy followed with an eloquent eulogy. "It was my good fortune," he said, "to have known Mr. Britton for twenty years, and I can truthfully say that the better one knew him the better one esteemed him. He was a generous, true and faithful friend, open in speech, who never professed what he did not feel. As a keen, untiring, discriminating lawyer few surpassed him-none in this county. As a public official he was faithful and honest. I was engaged to conduct his case before Governor Dix, and now, standing here by his open grave, I de- clare that that prosecution was unjust and a grievous wrong- a wrong which the people afterward resented by re-electing him to his office."
After a warm tribute to the memory of the deceased as a husband and father, General Tracy closed with the words: "Be- side his many virtues. how insignificant his faults."
Ex-Surrogate Dailey was glad to see that nearly every county in the state was represented on that occasion. The news of Mr. Britton's death fell on the bar of Kings county like a pall. He remembered Mr. Britton for many years, when he was the associate of Mr. Jenks, and always to know him was to love and respect him. Merit in time brought its reward, continued the speaker, talent was sure to be appreciated, our sins were sure to find us out and our virtues to become known. Mr. Britton's stormy life left little but pleasant memories, and one could but admire the man who stood up against so many oppositions. He was one of the clearest thinkers of the bar. who are one by one being summoned from the great beyond. "I hope," said the speaker. in conclusion, "when we are called Vol. III-8
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to that higher court, we shall leave behind us that respect with which we part with our deceased brother."
Mr. Freeman, a fellow collegian of Mr. Britton, who had known him nearly forty years, corroborated the previous speakers, adding that from his youth he had always found him a noble, true and generous man.
Ex-Judge Samuel D. Morris referred with pathetic regret to a difference between the deceased and himself which existed for some time, but was afterward happily adjusted. The cloud soon passed away and now the man had passed away-peace be to his ashes.
Chief Judge Reynolds: "These sad occasions are occur- ring with alarming frequency. It seems but yesterady we were called here on a similar occasion, and then it seemed to me to be but a day removed since we were here before; and now Winchester Britton is called away without a note of warning. I see about me very few of the men who belonged to the bar twenty-five or thirty years ago."
His honor pointed out the merits and good qualities of Mr. Britton as a lawyer and as a man, and was followed in this connection by Mr. Shoudie, ex-Corporation Counsel John A. Taylor, Robert Benedict and E. B. Barnum.
Ex-Judge Gilbert was called upon and spoke briefly but feelingly of his long acquaintance with Mr. Britton and the shock the news of his death had been to him; and closed the proceedings with some references to his career and the promise there had seemed to be ahead of him.
THE TALMAGE (OR TALLMADGE) FAMILY.
This family name has been variously written in different ages Talmage, Tallmadge, Talmash, Talmaske, Tallenmache and in several other ways. The family is one of the most ancient
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in English history and is "traditionally believed," says Burke, "to go back to Saxon times, to Salmag, a Saxon lord of the sixth century of our era." The name is found Tolmag in the Domesday Book, time of William the Conqueror, and also on the Roll of the Battle Abbey of the same century in the Norman form, Tallmache. It is found at Stoke Talmage in Oxford- shire 1135, in Norfolk 1200, at Suffolk at a very early date, and at Hampshire soon after 1300. The seat of the family in Hamp- shire was at Newton Stacey, an outlying manor of Barton Stacey in the city of Hampshire, in Sonthampton, and about ten miles northwest of Winchester, where the family had been long settled. A history of this famiy is given in the Pall Mall Magazine for April, 1894, from which we extract the following:
The Tallemaches, who can trace their descent from Saxons, settled in East Anglia thirteen hundred years ago, may well claim to be the oldest family in England; and that ancient town of Ipswich, where in 1770 the corpse of one of their ancestors- an Earl of Dysart-lay in state on its way to Hilmingham, is appropriately the starting point where an excursion may be made to inspect the grand old noted hall which lies in stately solitude some miles to the north.
To inherit the traditions of a long line of noble ancestors whose integrity has never been questioned, is something to boast of, even in these leveling-up days, and with justifiable pride might the present head of the family replace the old distich taken long ago from the manor house:
Where William the Conqueror reigned with great fame, Bentley was my seat and Tallemach was my name.
The connection between the American and English branches has been fully established.
Thomas Liehford, an English lawyer, who came to Boston
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in 1638 and returned to England in 1641, kept a note-book of legal memoranda recently printed, in which occurs the following entry, page 294:
"William Talmage, of Boston, in New England, Thomas Talmage, Robert Talmage and Richard Walker, husband of Jane Tahnage, deceased, sons and daughter of Thomas Talmage, brother of Jolm Talmage, of Newton Stacey, in the county of Southampton, deceased, make letter of attorney to Richard Conying and William Dowlying, overseer of the will of the said John, deceased, to receive of the executor and administrator of the last will and testament of Symon Talmage, our brother, and of John Talmage, aforesaid, the sums of money due unto us by the will of the said John Talmage, and a certificate under the probate seal (L. S.)" On page 311 is "A Letter of Attorney to William Talmage, Thomas Talmage and Robert Talmage aforesaid, and Richard Walker, to Mr. Ralph King, to receive the money of said overseer, dated 3rd September, 1640."
James M. B. Dwight, of New Haven, who has collected con- siderable data of the Talmage family, says, "these memoranda show conelnsively that there were three brothers Talmage who came to America; William, Thomas and Robert, and a sister Jane, who married Richard Walker, of Lynn. These came from England to New England in 1630, and no others are known to have come to America in the Colonial period. The record also establishes the fact that they were children of Thomas Talmage, of Newton Stacey, in the county of Southampton, or Hampshire, England. It also proves that they had an uncle, John Talmage, who left eacli of them legacies in his will; and also a brother, Symon Talmage, who also mentioned them in his will, and referred to these legacies. These three brothers and sister's husband gave a power of attorney to Ralph King to receive the money. Still more recent advices carry the trace backward nearly to 1300, where the head of the line stands Sir William Talmach." (See Collins' "Peerage.")
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The family heraldry is arms, Argent, a fret sable; crest, a horse's head erased, or, with wings expanded pelletee.
The elder of the brothers Talmage, who came to America, William, settled in Boston, and died leaving only one daughter. Thomas Talmage, the second of the three, settled in Lynn, Massachusetts, was admitted freeman in Boston in 1634, and was allotted there two hundred acres of land, showing that he was a man of considerable means and that he was one of the largest landholders in the town. He removed to Southampton, Long Island, in 1642, and joined the colony from Lynn which settled there. (This town was named from Southampton, Eng- land, the birthplace of Talmage.) He removed, in 1649, to East Hampton with his son, Thomas Talmage, Jr., who became the first recorder or town clerk of the town. The Long Island and New Jersey branches of the family are descended from Thomas Talmage, Sr., and Thomas, Jr., the recorder, also known as Captain Thomas Talmage.
Captain Thomas Talmage, Jr., was a man of education with a scholarly and elegant handwriting, which resembles that still taught at the famous school at Manchester, so near his English birth-place. He was appointed lieutenant in 1665, and afterward captain. He died in 1690, and had as issue: Thomas, Nathaniel, John and Enos.
Enos Talmage, a son of Captain Thomas, was born at East Hampton in 1693, died at Elizabethtown, New Jersey, in 1725. He was the progenitor of the New Jersey branch of the family. His children were Daniel and Thomas.
Thomas Talmage (1st), the second son of Daniel Talmage, was born at Elizabeth, New Jersey, March 1, 1722; died there February 7, 1790. He married Hannah Norris, and had as issue Daniel, John and Enos. He married, secondly, Elizabeth Week and had a son named Thomas.
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Major Thomas Talmage (2), a son of Thomas and Eliz- abeth (Weeks) Talmage, was born at Basking Ridge, New Jersey, October 24, 1755, died at Somerville, New Jersey, Octo- ber 2, 1834, at his estate known as Mount Verd. He was a mem- ber of Captain Ten Eyck's company in the war of the Revolu- tion and participated in all the principal battles which took place in New Jersey. He married Mary, a daughter of Captain Goyn McCoy, supposed to be a representative of the McCoy family of Pennsylvania. Their children were: David, born at Somerville, New Jersey, April 21, 1783; Thomas, born about 1799; Samuel Kennedy Talmage, born at Somerville, New Jersey, in 1798, who went to Georgia and became president of Oglethorpe University and was chaplain of the Confederate congress; and Goyn Talmage, born also at Somerville, in 1778.
David Talmage, the eldest child of Major Thomas (2d) and Mary (McCoy) Talmage, was born at Somerville, April 24, 1783, was a man of considerable prominence and held several public positions. He served three successive terms as a mem- ber of the New Jersey legislature, was sheriff of Somerset county, a position of great honor and importance in those days. He married Catherine Van Nest, a descendant of Lieutenant John Brokaw, of the First Battalion, Somerset county, New Jer- sey, who was killed at the battle of Germantown, October +, 1777. She was a niece of Abraham Van Nest, of Westchester, New York, philanthropist and donor of Van Nest Chapel at Westchester. The children by this marriage were: Phebe, Rev. Richard, Sarah, Peter Van Ness, Daniel, the Rev. John Van Ness, the Rev. Goyn, Catharine, David, Mary and the Rev. Thomas DeWitt.
Colonel Daniel Talmage, fifth child of David and Catharine (Van Ness) Talmage. was born in Somerville, February 10, 1816, and died in Brooklyn, New York, March 15, 1869.
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The New York Sun in an article on the Talmage family says : "The best known one among the Talmage boys, except the Tabernacle preacher, was Colonel Daniel Talmage, the founder of the great rice house in New York, now styled Dan Talmage's Sons, and possessing branches in Savannah, Charleston and New Orleans. Dan Talmage was a famous politician in central New Jersey and an ardent Democrat, who worked for his party as if it was his bread and butter, and yet who would never accept an office of any sort until he was pressed by a governor he had done more than anyone else to elect, when he became a colonel on the executive staff, bouglit fine uniforms and spent hundreds of dollars in entertaining his friends. He was warmly liked by those who knew him and they mourned his loss. He gave a great deal in a quiet way for charity, and it is said that this son, the present head of the firm, inherited this trait and gave one-tenth of his income to the needy.
Colonel Talmage was one of the leading merchants of his day and the founder of the great rice house of Daniel Talmage's Sons. He was the first merchant in this country to establish the sale of rice as a regular article of merchandise. Previous to this the southern planters had been in the habit of shipping rice to their northern agents on commission and receiving in exchange such articles of domestic and household goods as they required for personal use. The business proved a great success from the start, and this firm is known far and near as the pioneers in this business. The old sign of Daniel Talmage still remains over the door just above the sign of the present firm. Colonel Talmage married, in December, 1839, Hannah Aymar Fowler, a daughter of Pexcil Aymar Fowler and Hannah Kip, of New York city, a descendant of the French families of Le Brum and Quereaux.
The issue of this marriage was John Fowler Talmage, who
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was born in Brooklyn July 27, 1842, and married, April 26, 1865, Isabella Van Syckel, ninth in descent from Major William Phillips, commander of the Yorkshire forces in 1665, and seventh in descent from Thomas Carhart, secretary to Governor Dongan.
Major Thomas Talmage (3d), the second child of Major Thomas (2d) and Mary (McCoy) Talmage, was born at Somer- ville, New Jersey, abont 1799. He was an enterprising, sagacious and practical farmer. During his life he filled many important positions of trust in church and state with honor and credit to himself and benefit to the community. He married Sophia Van Vicliten, a daughter of Michael Van Vichten, son of Dirck, son of Hon. Michael Direkse Van Vichten, son of Dirck Teunise, son of Teunise Dirckse.
Teunise Dirckse Van Vichten came to New Amsterdam in the ship "Arms of Norway" in 1638 with his wife, child and two servants, by way of Rotterdam, probably from Veghten on the Vegliten river near Utrecht. He settled at Greenbush, opposite Albany, where he had a farm as early as 1648. He had a son named Dirck Teunise, who was born at Veghten, Holland. He married Janetza Michaelja Vrulandt. He removed to the Cats- kill before 1681, and resided where the old Van Vechten house now stands, which is the third built on the same site. It was built in 1750. They had twelve children, of whom Michael Direkse was the third. The latter was born November 28, 1663, married first Marthja Perker, and secondly Janitja Damon, and removed to New Jersey with his brother Abraham before 1699, and he had a child named Dirck, born September 16, 1699, on the Raritans. His family bible is at the Bible House in New York city. His will was dated the 17th of April, 1777, and probated the 4th of February, 1872. He was one of a com- pany of eight who bought, May 3, 1712, the Royce plantation of fourteen hundred and seventy acres. He was one of the
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assistant judges of Somerset county in February, 1711. He gave the land upon which the first Dutch church of Raritan was originally built in 1721. The church was destroyed in the time of the Revolution, and the next building was erected near the town of Somerville. He had seven children, of whom Dirck was the fifth.
The last mentioned was born September 16, 1699, and died November 29, 1781. He married first Judith Brockholst, and secondly Deborah Antonides, and thirdly, in 1759, Sarah Mid- dalı. His farm was the camping ground of the Revolutionary armies, and his house that of a bounteous hospitality to officers and men. General Greene left a handsome mahogany table there as a token of appreciation of kindness received in this hospitable mansion. This table is now a treasured heirloom in the family. He had five children, of whom Michael was the fourth. The latter was born November 13, 1764, as shown on the tombstone, but the Dutch bible says November 16, 1776. He died December 29, 1831. He married, April 10, 1787, Elizabethi La Grange, a daughter of John La Grange, and had eight chil- dren, of whom Sophia was the sixth. Sophia was born July 11, 1801, and married Thomas Talmage. Thomas Talmage, by his wife, Sophia (Van Vechten) Talmage, had as issue Samuel and John Frelinghuysen.
Dr. Samuel Talınage, just mentioned, was born at Somer- ville, New Jersey, February 20, 1831, studied medicine with his father-in-law, Dr. Ephraim Clark, of Staten Island, and entered the medical department of the University of the City of New York, and was graduated in 1870. He subsequently removed to Brooklyn and became associated with his brother John F., who had already acquired a large practice. He adopted the new system of homeopathy and continued with his brother until the latter's death, and is still (1901) engaged in practice in Brook-
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lyn. At the breaking out of the Civil war he was commissioned by the governor of New Jersey captain of a cavalry company. In early life he contributed occasionally to the weekly periodicals, but his time has since been wholly absorbed in his profession. He married. in 1863, Arabella M. Clark, a daughter of Dr. Ephraim Clark, of Staten Island.
Jolın Frelinghuysen Talmage, A. M., M. D., second child of Major Thomas (3d) and Sophia (Van Vechten) Talmage, was born at Somerville, New Jersey, March 11, 1833, and was named after his mother's brother-in-law. He was brought up on his father's farm and received his early education at the village academy under the personal tuition of his father's pastor, the Rev. T. W. Chambers, D. D., of New York, who at that time was settled in Somerville. Young Talmage entered Rutgers College, New Brunswick, and took his place in the second term of the sophomore class. He was graduated in 1852, his diploma bearing the signature of Theodore Frelinghuysen, president.
After his graduation he traveled extensively in the south- ern states and for a time filled the professorship of ancient languages in an Alabama college, now extinct. At Huntsville, that state, he made the acquaintance of Drs. Burrill and Gillson, physicians of the homeopathic school of medicine, and became interested in their methods, witnessing some remarkable cures effected by them. He was thus led by his own observation to abandon the convictions of earlier years and adhere to the school of Hahnemann. For six months he pursued his medical studies with his friends in Huntsville, and on his return north at- tended a course of lectures in the medical department of the University of the City of New York. The following summer he entered the office of Dr. A. Cooke Hall, of Brooklyn, one of the most distinguished physicians of the new school of scientific
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medicine of that period. In 1859 he received his graduating diploma from the University Medical College, in which at that time the eminent Dr. Valentine Mott was emeritus professor of surgery.
Soon after this Dr. Talmage became associated with his preceptor, Dr. Hall, as partner, and continued these relations for twelve years. For one year he acted as physician of the Brooklyn Orphan Asylum, and during that time met with uni- form success in the treatment of epidemic and other diseases of a difficult nature. He was afterward appointed to the depart- ment of diseases of women in the Brooklyn Homeopathic Dispensary, but was compelled to resign after one year's ex- perience, owing to the large increase in his private practice. At the time of the last visitation of the Asiatic cholera in the city in 1866, he issued a private circular containing hints and suggestions for his patients. Though intended only as a private circular, it soon came to the knowledge of others, and so admir- ably did it meet a great pressing emergency that various public journals, such as the "Eagle" and "Union" of Brooklyn, the "New York Tribune," the "Springfield (Massachusetts) Re- publican" and others reproduced it at length with emphatic commendations of its form and matter. It has since become a standard medicine for that epidemic, and thousands of suf- ferers have been benefited by it.
After the death of Dr. Hall, Dr. Talmage naturally suc- ceeded to a large portion of his practice, which, added to his own, occupied every moment of his time, and in 1870 he as- sociated with him his brother Samuel, who had taken up the study of medicine at a later period than his younger brother. The former continued in active practice until his death, June 30, 1897, and was at that time one of the leading practitioners of the new school of medicine in this part of the country.
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He was for many years identified with the Church of the Pilgrims. Under General Meserole he served as surgeon of the Eleventh Brigade, N. G. S. N. Y. He was one of the charter members of the Brooklyn Club, which relation he resigned, and at the time of his death he was a member of the Hamilton Club. His father, Thomas Talmage, was an uncle of Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, another cousin of Hon. Thomas Talmage, a former mayor of Brooklyn.
Dr. Talmage married, in 1863, Miss Maggie A. Hunt, a lady of great personal attractions, the youngest daughter of Thomas Hunt, Esq., widely known as one of the merchant princes of New York.
The issue of this marriage were Thomas Hunt (deceased), Lilian, who married John Murray Mitchell, Edward Taylor Hunt and John Frelinghuysen.
Goyn Talmage, the fourth son of Major Thomas and Mary (McCoy) Talmage, was born at Somerville, New Jersey, in 1778. He married Magdalene Terhune, a descendant of an old Long Island family. Their children were Thomas Goyn, Catha- rine, Maria and Mertine. The last mentioned married Edward Patterson, of Philadelphia, who was the father of Hon. Edward Patterson, judge of the supreme court of New York city.
Hon. Thomas Goyn Talmage, son of Goyn and Magdalene (Terhune) Talmage, was born at Somerville, New Jersey, in October, 1801, spent his early life on his father's farm and came to New York city at the age of eighteen, entering the employ of Abraham Van Ness, then engaged in the saddlery- hardware business on Hanover Square. He resided for some time on Stone street, near Broad, where two of his children were born. He began his public career as early as 1827, when he was elected alderman of the first ward on the Democratic ticket, and from that time until his death was almost constantly
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