USA > New York > Bronx County > History of Bronx borough, city of New York : compiled for the North side news > Part 27
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the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the class of 1883, and taking up the study of the law was admitted to practice by the General Term of the Supreme Court, in the First Department, in the month of October, 1885. Ever since his admission to the bar, Mr. Van Doren has been engaged in the active practice of his profession and has achieved a standing therein among the well known trial lawyers and practitioners in court. Since 1886 he has been concerned in the formation of many large corporations. He was counsel and director of the Middlesex Valley Railroad Company; attorney for bondholders in the matter of the de- faulted bonds of the City of Superior, Wisconsin; counsel for the Reno Oil Company of Reno, Pennsylvania, where he was successful, after a protracted litigation lasting three years, in restoring that property to its rightful owners; formed the cor- poration for which was constructed the new Marie Antoinette Hotel and has been for years counsel for the large land com- pany which owns Edgemere, Long Island. In the leading case reported in 169 N. Y., page 367, Mr. Van Doren obtained in the Court of Appeals a decision of great importance to the general public in holding that owrers of mortgages could not exact bonuses as a condition for extending them. Mr. Van Doren has always taken an active interest in the public affairs of the Bronx. He is a member of the North Side Republican Club and was for two years its president. He is also a member of the Union Republican Club. For ten years past he has been counsel for St. Ann's Church of Morrisania, one of its vestry- men, and of late years a warden of that church. He has also acted as counsel for St. Mary's Church of Mott Haven. Mr. Van Doren belongs to the Holland Society of New York, the Alumni Association in the College of the City of New York, the Edgemere Association of Queens County, and he is one of the charter members of the Bar Association of the Borough of the Bronx aud is chairman of its Executive Committee, and he is a shareholder and member of the New York Law Institute. Louis O. Van Doren has been one of the earnest and consistent advo- cates of the creation of county government in the Borough of the Bronx. He was one of the authors of the bill for that purpose, introduced in the Legislatures of 1904 and 1905, and was chairman of the General Conference Committee of Dele- gates from all associations in the Bronx, which in 1904 advo- cated before the Legislature the passage of that bill. He mar- ricd in 1894 Isabel Yancy Neufville, daughter of Benjamin K. Neufville, Esq., of Charleston, South Carolina, and has two children.
HON. J. C. JULIUS LANGBEIN. FROM DRUMMER BOY TO JUDGE.
This gallant drummer boy hero of the Civil War is now and has been for the past fifteen years a resident of the Bronx. He was born in Germany on the 29th day of September, 1845. When he was two years old his parents came to this country and he was educated in the public schools of the city of New York. At the early age of 14 years, on the 4th day of May, 1861, he enlisted as a drummer in the famous fight- ing regiment known as the Ninth New York Volunteer In- fantry (Hawkins Zouaves.) The official records in the Adjutant- General's office at Washington, D. C., show him to be the youngest drummer boy from the State of New York and the, third youngest in the United States. He soon became so pro- ficient on the drum and in attention to duty that he was often detailed to act as Drum Major. He believed in the old adage of "whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well," which adage he ilas followed ever since. He served during the en-
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tire term of service of that fighting regiment and was in every battle in which it was engaged, among which were the follow- ing, viz .: Big Bethel, eanture of Forts Clark and Hatteras, Roa- noke Island, Camden or South Mills, South Mountain, Antie- tam, Fredericksburg and the siege of Suffolk. For personal bravery at the battle of Camden or South Mills, N. C., fought April 19, 1862, he was mentioned in general orders and granted a furlough of thirty days to visit his parents. On this furlough he took with him the following handsome letter from his eom- manding officer which, with mueh pride, his aged mother high- ly prizes to this day :
Camp Reno, Roanoke Island, N. C., April 21, 1862.
Mrs. Langbein: Dear Madam-It is impossible to send your son home on a furlough without a word. I must say that as a boy he is good and as a soldier he is excellent. Beyond all things I most speak well of his bravery and attention to duties
HON. J. C. JULIUS LANGBEIN
on the field. During the last battle he was at his post during the heaviest of the fire and behaved like a gallant little fellow. You should be proud of such a son, for we all are.
With much respect, I am yours truly,
G. A. C. BARNETT, Ist Lieut. oth N. Y. Vols., Comd'g Co. B.
At the battle of Antietam fought September 17, 1862, the Stile drummer boy had a horse shot under him while crossing 'ae famous stone bridge, now known as "Burnside's Bridge :" the battle of Fredericksburg. fought December 13. 1802, his Crum was riddled with bullets and at the siege of Suffolk, in April. 1862, the tassel of his fez was shot off by a Confederate warpshooter. Being the youngest and smallest of the drum orps and feminine in appearance, with a girlish face and figure, he was known by all his comrades as "Jennie," a nickname that .
was given to him by one of the men, who said the lad looked like a sweetheart of his by that name in the North, and this name he was known by and called during the entire term of service of the regiment. At the battle of Camden or South Mills already mentioned, "Jennie" performed an act of heroism and bravery for which in later years he received a "medal of honor" from the Congress of the United States. This was a hotly contested engagement in which the regiment charged up- on the enemy's works as it had done at Roanoke Island, on the Sth of February. of the same year, and did afterwards at the battle of Antietam, losing in that charge 65 per cent. of its command. In the charge at Camden or South Mills, Adjutant Thomas L. Bartholomew, of "Jennie's" company, and who had promised his mother to keep special watch over the boy, and between whom and the little drummer boy the closest eomrade- ship existed, was struck down in the charge by an exploding shell, which dazed him, and wandering aimlessly about he was making for the Confederate line; at this moment "Jennie." for- getful of his own danger, showed the stuff of which he was made ; he rushed upon the field and amid the smoke and din oi the battle, the screaming shot and shell and the whistle of the bullets, eaught his officer as he was falling in his delirium, and managed to partly earry and partly lead him to one of the Union rifle pits in the rear where he gently laid him down, revived him by a drink of water from his eanteen and rushed away to find the regimental surgeon, with whom he soon ar- rived. Lieut. Bartholomew, who is still alive and who often visits "Jennie" from his Connectieut home, in speaking of the incident says: "I felt the doctor pushing his fingers into my wound ; he felt in and around it, and then I heard him tell 'Jen- nie' it was no use, that I was nearly dead, that it would not be worth while to move me, and to leave me where I was as all hope was gone." But the brave little drummer boy would not desert his friend and comrade; he was not strong enough to carry the lieutenant and so he got Charley Wiley. the big strapping drum major, and together they carried the uncon- scious officer to a house near by used as a Union hospital : says Bartholomew, "I have never asked 'Jennie' how he managed the matter, but this I know that he, in the providence of God. saved my life, and I have always been ready and anxious to acknowledge my remembrance and gratitude of this noble and heroic act of his." Upon his return from the army in May. 1853. he entered "Bisbee's Collegiate and Military Academy" at Poughkeepsie, New York, and after being graduated. studied law and was admitted to the bar in May, 1868. His brother, ex- Senator George F. Langbein, and he formed a partnership under the firm name of "Langbein Brothers," which soon became one of the leading law firms in the city of New York. The brothers wrote a work in 1872 known as "Langbein's District Court Practice," and so well and favorably has this work becu received by both bench and bar, that a second, third, fourth and fifth edition became necessary and the book has ever since been and is now the standard of law and practice in the Mini- cipal Court in the city of New York. "Jennie" is also the anthor of "The American Flag. Its Origin and History;" "The Colors of the Ninth New York Volunteers ( Hawkins Zonaves)" and also a contributor to several law and military magazine. When the survivors of the old regiment organized into a miles regiment, "Jennie" enlisted as a private and was honorably dis. charged as captain after serving seven years. He is also promi- uent in the Grand Army of the Republic; has been conunander of several posts, delegate to Department and National Encamp
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ments and Adjutant General of the department of New York. Some of the toasts that he has responded to at the annual re- unions of the regiment are as follows: "Our Empire State; celebrated for its extensive dimensions, its enormous wealth and the number of his people. It furnished more men to the army than any other State but one, and the pluckiest drummer boy ;" "Our Sheep-skin Beaters; the devils who would not let us sleep in the morning, but always called us too late for breakfast." The Penn Yan Yates County Advertiser. in 1879. in speaking of the encampment of the Grand Army of the Republie of the State of New York said: "At these reunions Judge Lang- bein is either called upon for a speech or to beat the drum, and as an instance of his proficiency in the latter, he responded to the following toast: 'The drum; a noisy meaningless in- strument in the hands of the novice, but full of stirring, intel- ligent aecents in the hands of the artists." The Judge took a drum from one of the bands, and gave several of the prinei- pal army ealls, commencing with the sick call and ending with the long roll ; all of which were finely and faithfully rendered." In 1877, the people of the old 22d Assembly District sent the little drummer boy to the Legislature, where he made a brilliant record and was noted for his fearlessness and the independence of his actions. Speaker Sloan said of him that he had the confidence of the members so much that it must be a very bad bill that Assemblyman Langbein could not get through the House. In 1879 he was returned by a larger majority, and made the same fearless and independent record, particularly championing the interests of the police, firemen and school teachers. But the people wanted to honor "Jennie" still further and place him on the bench as a Judge, to which position he is eminently fitted, and so in the fall of 1879 he was elected Justice of the Seventh Judicial District Court. His judicial record gave universal satisfaction and he was often mentioned in flattering terms by judges and members of the bar for his ability, fearlessness and judicial uprightness. Hle served as a School Trustee of the I'wenty-third Ward ( Bronx Borough ) and is at present a mem- ber of the school board of the Twenty-fifth School District ( Bronx Borough) and secretary of the board. Ile is also a member of the General Committee of Tammany llall of the Thirty-fifth Assembly District. a member of the Jefferson Club of that distriet, a member of "E. A. Kimball" Post, No, 100, Department of New York, Grand Army of the Republic, in which he has held various offices of honor and trust, and is a Master Mason of Hope Lodge, No. 244. F. and A. M. Ile was one of the organizers of the North Side Board of Trade in 1804 and is a member of the Bar Association of the Borough of the Bronx. About three years ago he joined the "Medal of Honor" Legion of the United States of America, and at the first (campment of that order at which he attended was elected Jumior Viee-Commander thereof: the following year Senior Vice-Commander and now by the death of General Estes has become its Commander. Ex-Judge Langbein is of low stature and finely and compaetly built, has a very striking personality aud is quick, aetive and energetie in his movements; he has a large head and a fine expansive brow with a mental development of unsnal strength. Had nature in distributing her gifts made him a little taller, few men would have excelled him in personal appearanec. His complexion is light. with blue eyes that are remarkable for their fullness and brilliancy: his features are tinely eut and he has a mouth and chin that denote much quiet . wergy, determination and vigor of character. Few men have hold so many positions of honor and trust more faithfully or
intelligently, but whether as Soldier, Legislator or Judge, "Jen- nie's" head has always remained as level as it was, when, as a drummer boy during the dark days of the rebellion, he faced the deadly hail of shot and shell without a tremor or without fear. At the breaking out of the war between the United States and Spain, the gallant Judge at onee offered his services in: the following terse and patriotic letter :
City of New York, March 26th, 1898. C. Whitney Tillinghast. Esq ..
Adjutant-General, State of New York,
Dear Sir-In the event of war being declared between the United States and Spain. I hereby offer my services. The fol- lowing is a brief account of my military record: Enlisted May 4th, 1861, in the Ninth New York Volunteers (Hawkins Zou- aves), and was honorably discharged May 4, 1863, by reason of "expiration of term of service." Served seven years in the First Infantry, N. G. S. N. Y .. and was honorably mustered out as captain. Am a member of the Grand Army of the Republic in good standing. The Congress of the United States awarded to me a "Medal of Honor," for most distinguished gallantry in voluntarily, under a heavy fire, going to the aid of a wounded officer at the battle of Camden or South Mills, North Carolina, April 19, 1862." The motto of the gallant regiment in which i had the honor to serve during the rebellion was Toujours Pret,' ('Always ready.') To that motto, I am again ready to respond in defense of the Union and the flag.
I have the honor to be
Respectfully yours. J. C. JULIUS LANGBEIN,
No. 5 Beekman Street, or 1424 Washington Avenue, Bor- ough of the Bronx, New York City."
The following is the Adjutant-General's reply to the above letter :
"General Headquarters, State of New York, "Adjutant-General's Office. Albany, March 28. 1898.
Mir. J. C. Julius Langbein.
Temple Court, 5-9 Beekman Street, New York City.
"Sir-I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your communication of March 26th, offering your services in the event of war with Spain, and I am advised by the Adintant- General to inform you that the same has been placed on file for consideration, should a call for volunteers be made
Respectfully. FRED. PUISTERER, Assistant Adjutant-General." As no "Veterans" of the Civil War were called upon. Judge Langbein's services were not required, and so he has remained faithful to his practice at which he plods as energeti- cally and faithfully as when he was first admitted to the bar. At the encampment of the "Medal of Honor" Legion, held at Asbury Park, N. J., September 20th, 1905, he was unanimously elected Commander.
ROBERT H. BERGMAN .- The subject of this sketeli his spent all his life on the North Side. Mr. Bergman was born May 28. 1871, a: Morrisania, and at an early age entered r!it public school from which he graduated with honors at the age of 14. When 14 years old he began the study of law ; subse- quently he entered the law school of the University of the City of New York, from which he graduated with enviable honors in 1892, with the degree of LL B. In 1803 he was admitted to
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HISTORY OF BRONX BOROUGH
the bar by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for the First Department and a year later began the active practice of law on his own account. His ability, legal skill and sound judgment have gained for him a large practice among prominent real estate owners and financial institutions. For six years he has been counsel for the New York & Suburban Co-operative Building & Loan Association, and numbers among his clients many of the leading real estate operators of the borough. His familiarity with the growth of the borough and the passing of titles to real property, together with his experience in the ex- amination of abstracts and other questions affecting titles have made his professional services especially valuable in such cases. In addition to real estate law Mr. Bergman conducts a general practice in all departments of commercial law, in which he has
ROBERT H. BERGMAN
also been very successful. He has a suite of offices in his modern live-story building, 3221 Third Avenue, New York City. Mr. Bergman has taken an active interest in the work of the Twenty- third Ward Property Owners' Association to which he belongs, and has always materially assisted in promoting its aims and purposes and guiding its plans of operation. He is also a mem- Wer of Melrose Turn Verein. In fraternal and social organiza- tons Mr. Bergman has also taken a lively interest and some- times a prominent part. He is a member of Guiding Star Lodge No. 713. F. and A. M., and Sylvan Chapter, Royal Arch Masons nd Mystic Shrine. In the Royal Arcanum he is a member of Suburban Council No. 1354, belongs to the Society of Medical Jurisprudence of the City of New York and is a member and one f the organizers of the Bronx Borough Bar Association.
.
HEMAN GERALD CHAPIN, born in Brooklyn, N. Y., November 27, 1875, family of Puritan stock, tracing its de- cent on the one side from Deacon Samuel Chapin, who in 1630 bit Wales for the Massachusetts Colony and on the other from
Thomas Jerrolds (later changed to Gerald), a Scotch Cove- nanter, who settled in Vermont. Educated at Halsey Collegiate School and New York (LL.B. and Prizeman) and University Law Schools (LL.M.). Admitted to the bar March 1, 1807. Married April 7, 1900, Mary Campbell Knox, daughter of J. Armoy Knox, founder of "Texas Siftings." Was the associate editor of the University "Law Review," and is editor of "The American Lawyer" and law editor of "The American Banker," and of "The Business Man's Magazine and the Bookkeeper." Is a professor in Fordham University School of Law, author of "Banking Forms," and an edition of the Negotiable Instruments Act, the Law of Associations, of Citizenship and of Domicile, these last three appearing in the Cyclopedia of Law and Proce- dure ("Cyc.") ; as well as of numerous magazine articles. Was joint author with Charles F. Bostwick, of "Minute Book of New York Corporations" (two editions). Is member of the Associa. tion of the Bar of the Boroughli of the Bronx, Twenty-third Ward Property Owners' Association and other public bodies.
HON. HAL BELL, who resides at Morris Heights, Bronx, was born at Shelbyville, Kentucky, where his family were sojourning. His father, the Rev. Samuel B. Bell, D.D., was a native of Orange Co., this State, and his mother, Sophia Brown Walworth, a native of Cleveland, Ohio. The family went to California, where Mr. Bell's father became a power in develop- ing religious and educational influences in that state. Later they returned to New York. He is related to Chancellor Wal- worth and to William Bradford, the first Governor of Plymouth Colony, who came over in the Mayflower. His relations took prominent part in the Revolutionary War and in the Civil War. Mr. Bell attended the public schools of this city ; graduated from Hamilton College and from the Law School of Columbia Uni- versity, and ever since has practiced law and lived in New York City. In 1897 he was Assistant District Attorney when Hon WVm. M. K. Olcott administered the office under appointment of Gov. Black upon the death of the then District Attorney, Col. Fellows, in which position Mr. Bell made a marked impression for his ability as a public prosecutor and his fairness and justice. In 1900 he was elected to the Assembly from the 29th Assembly District, by the largest majority vote ever given up to that time in that district. During the winter of 1901 he served on the most important Assembly Committees, such as the Judiciary, Commerce and Navigation and Federal Relations. His work in the Assembly was notable and he was recognized as one of the leaders of that body. His constituency desired him to continue as Assemblyman, but he declined a re-election on account of professional engagements; a Civil Service Com- missioner in 1904 and at present one of the State Inheritance Transfer Tax Appraisers. He is an ardent Republican, but always takes a fair view of public questions. A member of the Republican Club of the City of New York, of the Society of Medical Jurisprudence, the North Side Board of Trade, the Psi Upsilon Fraternity, the Bronx Bar Association, etc. Mr. Bell has won an enviable position as a lawyer and advocate; and is widely known as an orator both on the lecture platform and in political campaigns. He delivered the oration on June 8, 1901, at Mt. Hope Cemetery, at the laying of the corner-stone of the 7Ist Regiment Monument to the soldiers of that regiment lost in the Cuban War, which is regarded as a masterpiece of patriotic eloquence : and has written a lecture on Lincoln which is declared by competent judges to be the best estimate of Lin- com's wonderful career and character that has yet been pro- duced. Many of his political addresses have been printed an 1 broadly distributed. He has been guilty of some poetic effu- sions for which his friends have forgiven him. One, for ex-
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H. GERALD CHAPIN
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ample, "Our Country's Flag," has been set to music-a patriotic song of highest merit and enthusiastically received by the peo- ple wherever heard. The latest, entitled "Saviour Divine," is now being musically arranged in the expectation that it will prove a great religious song. It is a secret among his acquaint- ances that he is writing a novel soon to be published, which it is believed, will be singularly interesting and successful.
HON. PETER J. EVERETT is conspicuous in Bronx Democratic councils. He is an active man politically, belongs to a number of the party organizations, and has been honored by his fellow citizens of the Thirty-fifth District with a seat in the State Assembly. He is an attorney by profession, with offices at No. 4 Warren Street, downtown, and has been a resi- dent of the borough over ten years. He was born June 29, 1873, in this city. Having taken the public school course and gradu ated, he chose the law for his profession. and entering the Co- lumbia College Law School, was graduated in 1891 at the early age of 18. He began practice on reaching his majority, and soon achieved success. He belongs to the Jefferson Club, the
HON. PETER J. EVERETT
Sehnorers, the Eagles and other organizations; is popular and capable, with a record, both in public and private life, that con- mends him as one of the most promising young men of the dis- triet. He is. in short, one of those of whom we are more than likely "to hear from hereafter." Mr. Everett married, in Oc- tober, 1807, Miss Katherine Martin. They have, however, no children.
CHARLES AUGUST FURTHMAN, LL.B., son of Charles August and Meta (Cooper) Furthman. of English and German descent, was born in New York on January 16, 1872. His father died in August, 1883, and thereafter he was thrown upon his own resources. He attended the public schools until January, 1888, when he entered the law office of Harry Overing-
ton of New York, as an office boy. He remained in that office until January, 1900, working his way up to the place of Manag- ing Clerk. Meantime he attended the Harlem evening high school in 1888-91, and in the latter year was graduated from it, having taken during his course prizes in mathematics and the ..... first prize in Latin. He then entered the New York evening high school, took prizes in Latin and first honorable mention in political economy and in debating, and was graduated with honors in 1894. In the fall of 1894 he entered the Law School of New York University. In his Junior year he won honorable
C. A. FURTHMAN
mention for the Elliott F. Shepard Scholarship. He received honorable mention in his Senior examination, and was graduated with honors, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. in June. 1820. In February, 1897, he was admitted to the Bar by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Since January 2. 1900. he has been engaged in practice on his own account, with offices in the Smith Building. He was married in October, 1903, to Anna Belle Willis, daughter of Mr. Isaac T. Willis. His home is at No. ESo East 134th Street, Borough of the Bronx, New York City.
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