USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 32
USA > New York > Washington County > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 32
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tion of matters in the United States, Mr. Fastenrath came to him, shaking his hand, saying, " I congratulate you, and beg to apol- ogize for my remark ; but really you Ameri- cans begin life early and mature rapidly." ( In appearance Mr. Lowber did not seem to be twenty years of age.) Mr. Wilson took a warm interest in Mr. Lowber, had him pre- sented to Queen Victoria, accompanied him to Amsterdam and Paris, and had him pre- sented to King William, at the Hague, and Louis Phillipe, at Versailles. Mr. Lowber returned in January, 1845, to New York, in the Cunarder Cambria, Captain Judkins, hav- ing a most stormy passage of nearly twenty days, to Halifax. While upon the business of the company, in 1843, at the city of Wash- ington, much discussion was being had about the boundary line and Lord Ashburton's claims for Great Britain. Mr. Lowber's description of the country claimed by Great Britain was such as to induce Mr. Donglas and other democrats to adopt the slogan of "54° 40' or fight." In March, 1844, Mr. Lowber pur- chased an invention for making lead pipe by hydraulic pressure and coating the inside of the pipe with pure tin, obtained a patent for the same, established works in West street, New York city, putting the same in charge of his brother, Edward J. During his absence in Europe, Mr. Robert J. Cornell, president of the Farmers' Loan and Trust Company, sup- ervised the business for him. In the summer of 1845 Mr. Jacob LeRoy became his partner, and under the firm name of Lowber & LeRoy the business was conducted until 1849, when Mr. Lowber disposed of his interest to Mr. LeRoy, whose sons carried it on thereafter, in the works erected by Mr. Lowber in Water street.
In 1849 Mr. Lowber entered into an ar- rangement with Dr. Eliphalet Nott, and in the spring of 1850 went to Cuba to look after his interests in the Cobra copper mines, which he disposed of to English capitalists. In 1850 and 1851 he investigated and managed
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for him the business of the Perkiomen mine, with General Cadwallader and Mr. McAllister, of Philadelphia, disposing of Dr. Nott's in- terest to them in 1852. In 1850 he purchased of Dr. Nott the one-half interest in the Stuy- vesant Cove property, in New York city, and in December, 1853, purchased the entire property undisposed of. In July, 1852, at the request of and in connection with Dr. Nott, he purchased the Bald Mountain Lime Quarry and erected thereon eleven lime kilns, twenty double and thirty-two single dwelling houses, a store, machine and blacksmith shop, cooper shops, barns and store-houses, giving employ- ment to over one hundred and fifty workmen. An engine of sixty horse power was used for driving the machinery required in cutting up lumber and making staves, etc. In December, 1887, Mr. Lowber purchased Doctor Nott's one- half interest in the works for one hundred and fifty-seven thousand dollars, and continued the manufacture of lime until January, 1872, when he disposed of the works and part of the pro- pertyto the Glens Falls Lime Company. During the ownership of the property from 1852 to 1872 Mr. Lowber manufactured over two million five hundred thousand barrels of lime, of which over two million three hundred and fifty thous- and were sent to and sold in the city of New York. In 1854 Mr. Lowber became associated with Cyrus W. Field in forming the New York, Newfoundland & London Telegraph Company, and was secretary of the company until it dis- posed of its stock and franchises to the At- lantic Telegraph Company of London. Of all the original promotors of the New York, Newfoundland & London Telegraph Company, namely, Peter Cooper, Cyrus W. Field, Moses Taylor, Marshall O. Roberts, Chandler White, Wilson G. Hunt and David Dudley Field, Mr. Lowber is the only one now living. In 1854 Mr. Lowber was active in organizing the Min- nesota & Northwestern Railroad Company, and was elected vice-president and manager of the same. Congress having made a grant of land to the territory of Minnesota, the ter-
ritory conveyed the land granted to the com- pany. A survey of the route for the road from Dubuque to Saint Paul, and in part from Saint Paul to Superior City, was made in 1855 and 1856. Caleb Cushing had purchased a large tract of land adjoining lake Saint Croix, and upon the refusal of the company to locate the line from Saint Paul to Superior City by lake Saint Croix and donate to him a large amount of paid stock, used his position and influence to prevent congress from ratifying the grant by Minnesota to the company, and the secre- tary of the interior from withdrawing from sale the land selected by it. The continued opposition of government officials induced the company, in 1858, to suspend further efforts, and in 1864 Mr. Lowber sold the rights and franchises to some gentlemen of Minnesota. Efforts were made to have congress repeal the grant made on the ground that fraud had been used in its passage. An investigating com- mittee was appointed, who reported that no fraud had been committed.
Just after the passage of the grant by con- gress, a man named Tyler appeared in New York with five drafts of five thousand dollars each, payable to his order, alleging they were for moneys promised by persons for the com- pany in securing the passage of the grant. Never having heard of such promises Mr. Lowber refused to sign the drafts. Mr. Tyler then sought the aid of Mr. Thurlow Weed, who advised Mr. Marshall O. Roberts, a di- rector of the railroad company, to have the drafts signed, thereby saving the company much trouble and loss. The drafts were not signed, and three days after Mr. Tyler's return to Washington, Mr. Solomon G. Havens, of Buffalo, offered (as he stated), at the request of Mr. Lewis D. Campbell, of Ohio, a resolu - tion asking for a committee to investigate the alleged fraud in passing the grant. A com- mittee was appointed, of which Lewis D. Campbell was chairman. The proceedings of Tyler having been brought out before the committee, Mr. Campbell resigned the chair-
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manship, and Mr. Washburn was placed in his stead. The investigation brought out who the parties were for whom Tyler was acting. The committee reported, by Major J. C. Breck- enridge, that there had been no fraud prac- ticed.
In 1856, Mr. Lowber's elder brother having invented a machine for hulling and clean- ing cotton seed, Mr. Lowber secured, in 1856 and 1857, patents for the same, and had the necessary machines constructed for mills in New Orleans, Montgomery, and Selma. They were all in active operation when the rebellion broke out, and were all confiscated and the property sold, in June and July, 1861, to a party of Confederate Jews, who secretly car- ried on the work of hulling seed, and ulti- mately formed the Cotton Seed Trust. The property confiscated cost Mr. Lowber over one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.
Mr. John A. Dix having applied to the New York banks for a loan to the government of $15,000,000, Mr. Lowber was requested to visit Washington and advise as to the proceedings of the border States and Peace Conference. While there an amusing incident occurred on the 22d of February. General Scott had issued an order for the parade of all the Uni- ted States troops in and about Washington, in which the District militia were to join. While Mr. Lowber was in the room of Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, with E. M. Stanton, en- gaged in drafting resolutions of compromise to be submitted to the Peace Conference, a gentleman came hastily in and requested Gen- eral Sickles to go up to the White House, saying "Old Buck was on a tear." General Sickles went at once. On his return he told Mr. Stanton and myself that the President had received a letter from Mr. Tyler, presi- dent of the Peace Conference, stating that unless the order of General Scott was recalled and the parade stopped, the South would con- sider it a declaration of war. Buchanan called the cabinet together with General Scott, and proposed to countermand the order to parade.
The opposition of Generals Dix and Scott and Mr. Holt only added to the determination of the President, and in this condition of things Sickles was sent for. Holt was arguing the point when Sickles arrived. In his attempt to change the determination of Buchanan, Sickles lashed him unmercifully over the shoulders of Holt, and in attempting to pre- vent Buchanan's escape from the room, Sick- les caught him by the coat tail and tore it up to the collar. The result was a modification of General Scott's order, by allowing only two companies of infantry to parade. The resolutions drawn were presented to the con- ference by Mr. Tuck, of New Hampshire, and refused consideration.
Mr. Lowber was present at the inauguration of Mr. Lincoln. At the request of Mr. Stan- ton, Mr. Lowber visited Canada directly after the Trent affair, and reported upon the pre- parations of Great Britain to secure control of the lakes. He spent much of the summer of 1864 in visiting the provinces and New- foundland on behalf of the government. In the winter of 1863 and 1864 he favored the passage of an act by the legislature authoriz- ing the general government to enlarge any of the canals of the State for passing from the seaboard to the lakes gunboats and troops and munitions of war.
In 1864, having furnished G. W. Billings with means, and aided him in carrying on his experiments for rhetting flax and other fibrous substances, and for obtaining patents for the same, the invention and patents were sold to a Boston company for the sum of three hun- dred thousand dollars, paid for mostly in the stock of the company. Since the sale of the lime works Mr. Lowber has devoted his at- tention to farming.
Mr. Lowber has been married twice. In November, 1840, to Maria, daughter of John T. Bergen, of Brooklyn, who died in April, 1842 : and on the 15th of February. 1845, to Elizabeth G., daughter of Herman J. Red- field, who died August 10th, 1890.
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W ILLIAM W. CLEVELAND, one of the leading and prominent business men of the village of Shushan, who is suc- cessfully engaged in the fire insurance busi- ness. and in the sale of various kinds of vehicles, harness supplies, mowers, reapers, etc., was born in the town of Salem, Wash- ington county, New York, on June 17, 1851. He is a son of William C. and Minerva (Lyon) Cleveland, and the father, William C. Cleve- land, was a native of the town of Jackson, but later in life removed to the town of Salem, where he died in 1884, at sixty-two years of age. For over forty years he had been a suc- cessful woolen manufacturer in his native town, and was a republican in his political opinion. Associated with his brother-in-law, Charles Lyon (whose sketch appears on an- other page), as a partner, he assisted in the management of the woolen mills at East Salem, and much of the success of these mills is due to his able supervision and skill. He was a son of James H. Cleveland, who was born in the town of Salem, and when a young man removed to the town of Jackson, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1876, at the age of seventy-nine years. An enterprising and influential citizen of the neighborhood, he became prosperous and suc- cessful as a merchant and farmer. He was a leading member of the First Presbyterian church of Salem, and in his political belief a democrat. Abel Cleveland (great-grand- father), was one of the pioneers of the town of Salem, coming from his native State of Rhode Island. The mother of William W. Cleveland, Minerva (Lyon) Cleveland, was a member of the old and substantial Lyon family, of the county, and was a sister of Charles Lyon, of this village. She was born in the town of Peru, Bennington county, Vermont, and died in 1889, at the age of sixty-six years.
William W. Cleveland received only the rudiments of a common school education in the schools of his native town. In 1879 he bought a farm and followed farming with very
good results until 1890, when he rented his farm, which he still owns, and removed to the village of Shushan, where he has ever since resided. In 1892 he purchased the carriage and insurance business belonging to C. T. Hatch, of the same village, to which he has ever since devoted his energies and enlarged the volume of the business from year to year ; and at the present time has the largest fire in- surance business in his section of the county.
Mr. Cleveland was married in 1872 to Laura E., a daughter of Henry Denforth, residing in the town of Jackson. To their marriage has been born one daughter : Maud B.
C APT. A. B. CONTRYMAN, who did brave and gallant service during the war between the States, and a popular citizen of Fort Edward, was born in the town of Pam- elia, Jefferson county, New York, April 3, 1838. He is a son of Henry and Elizabeth Contryman. His grandfather was a native of Herkimer county, New York, where he fol- lowed farming, married, and had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. Henry Contryman was born in the same county in 1800. He was a carriage builder by trade, and carried on farming extensively for several years. In 1824 he removed to Jefferson county, where he died June 13, 1876, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, in the faith of the Universalist church, and his wife departed this life December 25, 1872, aged seventy-two years. He was an old-line dem- ocrat until the formation of the Republican party, when he identified himself with that organization ; and for ten years filled the office of justice of the peace in the town of Pamelia. He wedded and was the father of nine chil- dren : Alexander, Katy, George H., Louisa, Ludentia, Lucy, Amos B., Wilson H., and Oscar, who died during the war, at the age of. twenty years.
A. B. Contryman attended the district schools of his native town, and subsequently
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at Evans Mills academy and the Saint Law- rence academy at Potsdam, the latter having since been converted into a State Normal school. Leaving school he afterward became a salesman in stores at Potsdam and Ogdens- burg, where he remained until September 2, 1862, when he enlisted in Co. E, 142d New York volunteers, and participated in the fol- lowing engagements : John's Island, Drury's Bluff, Bermuda Hundred, Cold Harbor, Pe- tersburg, Fort Gilmore, Darleytown Road ; was in both expeditions against Fort Fisher, all the battles in front of Petersburg, his divis- ion making the first charge against this strong- hold, beside many other less important en- gagements. At the battle of Fort Gilmore Captain Contryman received a slight wound by a small piece of shell striking him in the hip. He made some very narrow escapes, however, as his clothes on several occasions were pierced by the enemy's bullets. For three years he never missed a roll call nor was off duty a single day, which is a record few veterans can boast of, being honorably dis- charged and was mustered out of the service at Ogdensburg in June, 1865. Returning home he was engaged in the boot and shoe business at Potsdam for twelve years, and at the end of that time, 1877, came to Fort Ed- ward. Here he associated himself in business with L. H. Wing, under the firm name of Contryman & Wing, and who at present are the proprietors of one of the best stocked drug houses to be found in the country. Mr. Con- tryman, in addition to his drug interests, is secretary and treasurer of the Fort Edward Electric Light and Power Company. On June 6, 1876, he was united in marriage to Isabella H. Matthews, of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania. In politics Captain Contryman is a stanch republican, Episcopalian in religious belief, Knight Templar in masonry, and a member of Mills Post, Grand Army of the Republic, In his three years' service as a soldier in the federal army, he was soon pro- moted from private to sergeant, from sergeant 15a
to sergeant-major, and sergeant-major to first and second lieutenant, and thence captain of the company. At the time he received his captain's commission he was acting as adju- tant of his regiment. He has filled the office of village trustee of Fort Edward for one term. Captain Contryman is as popular as a citizen and business man as he was brave and daring as a fighter ; unassuming and modest in his deportment toward his fellow men, he commands universal respect from everybody with whom he comes in contact.
J AMES W. WALLACE, vice-president and treasurer of the Dunbarton Flax Spinning Company, of Greenwich, was born in the North of Ireland ou February 8, 1859. Mr. Wallace is the eldest son of Hugh and Elizabeth Frances Wallace, nee Hunter. The Wallace family came from Scotland in 1611, four brothers of that name having settled in Ulster, under patents from the English crown, and for several generations the family have been connected with the linen trade of Ulster. One branch of the family, on the maternal side, came to the American colonies early in the eighteenth century, and during the Revo- lutionary war one member, a Colonel Nesbit, of General Washington's staff, was sent to France to secure financial assistance for the struggling colonies.
Mr. Wallace was educated partly in the public schools, completing his studies in the private school of Mr. Andrew Mullan, and at the age of fifteen entered the offices of Dun- bar, McMaster & Co., Limited, Flax Spinners, Gilford, Ireland. After the Morrill tariff act of 1878, which increased the duty on imported goods, the Gilford company decided to erect factories in the United States, and Mr. Wallace was sent by the company to Greenwich, New York, to look after the financial part of the undertaking. Since that time Mr. Wallace has been with the company, and on merging the concern in America into an incorporated
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company Mr. Wallace was elected to the offices which he now holds. In Ireland and America the company employ two thousand operatives, principally in linen thread manu- facturing. In the United States and Canada they have warehouses and offices in the larger cities.
Mr. Wallace is a member of the United Presbyterian church, and in politics is a repub- lican. In 1889 Mr. Wallace married Jennie May, only daughter of Mr. Sylvanus Arnold, of Mechanicville, Saratoga county, and has one daughter, Florence A.
F RED E. HILL, ex-sheriff of Washing- ton county, and who has been engaged in various business enterprises, is a son of Enoch and Anna (Monroe) Hill. He was born in the town of Easton, this county, April 14, 1839. Enoch Hill (father) was a native of Saratoga county, New York, and when a young man came and made his permanent home in the town of Easton, this county, and followed the trade of blacksmith, dying in this town at the age of sixty-seven years, in 1867. He was a whig and republican in his political belief, and filled some town offices. He married Anna Monroe, by whom he had thirteen children, eleven of that number who reached man and womanhood. Mrs. Hill was a native of this county, where she was born in 1802, and died May 17, 1853. The grand- father Hill of the subject of this sketch, was born in Saratoga county, and lived to be nearly one hundred years old. The Hills are of English extraction.
Fred E. Hill worked on the farm until the age of seventeen, receiving a common school education, when he engaged as a salesman in a mercantile house. Remaining here for a few years, he branched out for himself in merchandising in the village of Easton, where he continued successfully up to 1880. In that year he came to Salem and accepted the place
of under-sheriff with his brother, James Hill, who had been elected sheriff of the county in the fall of the previous year. During this term Mr. Fred E. Hill served in the capacity of under-sheriff under his brother, at the end of which time he engaged in the mercantile business at Salem, in which he continued for a few years. Relinquishing this business, he, in 1885, became under-sheriff under George L. Marshall, and remained with Mr. Marshall until 1888, the close of his term. At the fall election, in the latter year, Mr. Hill was elected sheriff of the county as the regular nominee of his party, which office he efficiently and acceptably filled for one term of three years. Leaving the office of sheriff he engaged in the meat business at Salem, and has suc- ceeded in building up a profitable trade.
Fred E. Hill was married to Sarah Run- dell in 1861, who was a daughter of Jarvis Rundell, of the village of Cambridge. To their marriage have been born two sons and one daughter : Amy T., who died April 26, 1872, at the age of five years ; Frank A., born November 8, 1875, and Fred R., who was born September 13, 1877. Mr. Hillis a Presbyterian in his religions belief, and while he attends and contributes to the support of that church, he is not a member. He is a member of Cambridge Valley Lodge, 481, Free and Accepted Masons, and is one of the trustees of the Presbyterian church of his village. In the councils of the Republican party of the county, he is an ac- tive and influential leader, and has an enviable standing as a citizen throughout his section.
His brother, James Hill, who had pre- viously filled the office of sheriff, was one of the most popular and successful politicians the county ever produced ; genial and pleasant in his nature, he commanded the high respect of all classes. For two or three terms he served his fellow citizens of his native town of Easton as supervisor. His death occurred May 7, 1893, having been born July 4, 1830.
Ex-sheriff Frederick E. Hill died July 25, 1894.
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PHILIP CHARLES THEBO, a sue-
cessful merchant of Fort Edward, and a grandson of one of Napoleon's trusted gene- rals, is a son of Joseph and Louisa Thebo, and was born in New York city, September 22, 1835. He was reared to manhood in his na - tive State, but never attended any institution of learning, and secured his education at home and by self study. At an early age he com- menced to do for himself, and after working at the tobacco and match business, was en- gaged in speculating in different lines of com- mercial enterprises, and about 1864 came to Fort Edward, where he embarked in the fruit, fish and grocery business. Six years later he opened his present establishment on Broad- way street, and his salesroom, thirty by seventy- five feet, is heavily stocked with crockery and china ware, and the finest assortment of fancy groceries to be found in the State, outside of the principal cities. He employs five assis- tants and has a large and remunerative trade, including among his patrons the leading families of the village and the surrounding country.
Mr. Thebo is a democrat in politics, has been auditor of the town, and is now serving on a second term as a member of the board of village trustees. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Masonic Lodge, No. 267, and Fort Edward Episcopal church, of which he is a vestryman. He is also a member of the J. F. Harris Steamer Company and the Setterlee Hose Company, and Durkee Hose Company, and served for some time as a corporal in the Fort Edward Home Guards.
On November 4, 1862, Mr. Thebo was united in marriage with Henrietta Chitty, and to their union have been born seven children, five sons and two daughters: Mary Louise (deceased), George W., Philip C., jr., William H., Frederick, Benjamin F., and Annie Mary.
The name of Thebo indicates that the family is of French lineage, and the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was
General Joseph Thibult, one of Napoleon's trusted generals, who served under the "Little Corporal" during the days of the consulate and the existence of the first empire. When fate and fortune decided against the " Man of Destiny " at Waterloo, General Thibult, who was in the midst of the carnage of that great battle, withdrew from military life and engaged in peaceful pursuits and the management of his tobacco estate. He had eight children : Celestia, Joseph, Josephine, Philip Charles, Julia, Sofphona, Sarah, and Ida. Joseph Thebo (father ), born and reared at Paris, France, was a man of good education and a very fine linguist, and conducted a cabinet making establishment at Havre, in his native country. In 1827 he came to New York city, where he spent the remaining years of his life. He was a democrat in politics after he came to the United States, and lived and died in the faith of the Catholic church, in which he was reared and taught. He was born in 1806 and died in 1851. He married, and by his marriage had three children : Joseph, Ida ( deceased ), and Philip Charles, whose name appears at the head of this sketch.
R EV. ANDREW JACKSON FEN- NEL, who labored faithfully and con- scientiously for over forty-five years as a min- ister of the Presbyterian church at Glens Falls, was born in the town of Ira, Rutland county, Vermont, June 21, 1815. He is a son of Calvin and Abigail (Gorham) Fennel, (some times spelled Finel). Calvin Fennel was a native of the same county. Leaving home before the subject of this sketch was born, he died suddenly in Batavia, New York. This son, therefore, never saw his father. He was a tanner by trade and a soldier in the sec- ond war with England. His father was Ed- ward Fennel, a native of Granville, Massa- chusetts, and who removed to Poultney, Ver- mont, where his children, ten in number, were born, all of whom are now dead except the
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