USA > New York > New York City > Leslie's history of the greater New York, Volume III, Pt. 1 > Part 36
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its Chairman. Availing of the public sentiment aronsed by the Lexow investigation, Colonel William L. Strong was nominated as Mayor of New York and was elected. Mr. Larocque is a member of the Metropolitan, Century, City, University, and Reform chibs. He was born in New York City, April 2, 1831, and is of French descent. His father was born in Savannah, Ga., in 1780, the latter's father hay- ing come from France.
MURRAY, JAMES B,, studied in Paris and Dresden, spent two years in the classical and scientific courses at Columbia College, and in 1875 was graduated from the Columbia College Law School. He practiced for two years with Paddock & Cannon, of this city, and since 1877 has practiced alone. His practice has been mainly along the line of will and other equity cases. He has had a number of litigations, however, in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. During the Presidential campaign of 1896 he contributed papers on sound money to the press throughout the country. He is a member of the City, University, Reform, Delta Phi, Seawanhaka-Corinthian Yacht, and Larchmont Yacht clubs, the Downtown Association, and the Bar Association of the city. He is the eldest son of Bronson Murray, of New York City, and Anne E. Peyton, of an old Virginia family. He is grandson of Colonel James B. Murray, of New York. His father was the originator and financial support of the Industrial League, which led the movement to obtain land grants from the Federal Gov- ermoment for the establishment of State colleges, the Illinois Univer- siiy and Cornell University being two of the institutions growing out of this agitation.
TRUAX, CHAUNCEY SHAFFER, was graduated from Hamilton College in 1875, receiving the prize for oratory on commencement day, and in 1877 was graduated from the Columbia College Law School. Ile then accepted his appointment as lustructor in International and Commercial Law at Robert College, Constantinople. Resigning at the end of a year, he returned to New York and began the practice of law in October, 1878. In 1890 he became head of the firm of Truax & Crandall. He was counsel in the Williamsbridge reservoir case, the new aqueduct litigations. the Jacob-Sire snit, the Langley divorce cases. and the Adirondack Railroad litigation. He was a delegate to the Democratie State conventions in 1881 and 1888, and in the latter year was a member of the Committee on Platform. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1894. He is President of the New York Alumni Association of Hamilton College, and in 1886 founded the Greek Scholarship at that institution. He is a member of the Holland Society, the Manhattan Club, and the Har- lem Society, being one of the founders of the latter. A member of the Bar Association of the city, he was long on its Committee on Amend-
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ment of the Laws. He married, in 1886, Alice M., daughter of R. K. Hawley, of Cleveland, Ohio, and has three children. He is himself a brother of Judge Charles HI. Truax, of the Supreme Court, and was born in Durhamville, N. Y., March 11, 1854. Through his father, Henry Philip Truax, he lineally descends from Philippe Du Trieux, a Walloon, born in 1585, who married Susanna dn Chiney, and in 1638 was Court Marshal in New Amsterdam. His mother, Sarah Ann Shaffer, was a sister of the late Chauncey Shaffer, a well-known New York lawyer.
MARSHALL, LOUIS, born in Syraense, N. Y., December 14. 1856. in 1874 was graduated from the high school of that city, studied law for two years with N. B. Smith, of Syracuse, for one year attended. the Colmbia College Law School, and. completing his preparation with Hon. William G. Ruger, of Syraense, was admitted to the bar in January, 1878, and at once be- came a member of Judge Ruger's law firm. He at once appeared as counsel in important cases, and has argued more than one hundred and fifty causes in the Comt of Ap- peals. In 1890 Governor Hill ap- pointed him a member of the Con- stitutional Commission to revise the Judiciary Article, and he served on its committee on the Court of Appeals. Elected a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1894, he was Chairman of its Committee on Future Amendments, and see- ond on the Judiciary Committee. LOUIS MARSHALL. Hle succeeded William B. Horn- blower as Chairman of the Commit: tee on Law Reform of the New York State Bar Association. The New York Legislature of 1895 tendered him a vote of thanks for his arduous labors in drafting the amendments to the Codes of Civil and Criminal Procedure, so as to conform them to the new Judiciary Article. Since February, 1894. he has been engaged in practice in - New York City. The Committee of Seventy, which brought about the election of Mayor Strong, selected him to prepare an opinion on the constitutionality of the Police Magistrates' Bill, and to argue in its support before the Legislative Committees, a task which he per- formed with signal ability and entire success. He has delivered lee- tures and published articles on legal, historical, and literary subjects, and prepared a member of papers for the State Bar Association.
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While a resident of Syracuse he lectured on Medical Jurisprudence at the Syracuse Medical College. During the winter of 1897-98 he de- livered a course of lectures on the Constitution of the State of New York before the Dwight Alminni Association.
PECKHAM, WHEELER HAZARD, attended the Albany Acad- emy and Union College, studied law with his father at Albany, and practiced for some time in that city. In 1864 he became connected with the New York law firm of John A. Stoutenburg and George Mccullough Miller, and subsequently became a member of the firun of Miller, Peckham & Dixon, which is one of the leading firms in New. York. Nominated as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court by President Cleveland in 1893, he failed of confirmation in the Senate through the opposition of Senator David B. Hill. He has served several terms as President of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He has been prominent in movements looking to political reform. He was leading counsel in the Tweed prosecu- tions, and for a short time was District Attorney of New York City. He was counsel in the bank tax cases, the Bell telephone litigations, the Louisiana bond cases, and the cases establishing that legal-tender notes are exempt from taxation. He was born in Albany, N. Y., Jan- nary 1, 1833, and is the son of the late Uon. Rufus Wheeler Peckham, a Justice of the State Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, and is a brother of Hon. Rufus Wheeler Peckham, a Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
STEPHENS, GEORGE WASHINGTON, well-known lawyer of New York City, and leader of the Republican party, was educated in the public schools of New York and Brooklyn; in 1863 was graduated from the College of the City of New York; was graduated from the Columbia College Law School in 1865, having also studied law in the office of Hon. William E. Curtis, afterward JJustice of the Superior Court of the City of New York. and since his admission to the bar in 1865, has practiced law continuously in New York City. From 1877 to 1892 he was associated with Walter . Foster as a member of the firm of Foster & Stephens. His practice has especially been in the de- partments of commercial, municipal, and real estate law. He has been employed in a number of cases as counsel and attorney for the officials of Long Island City. He has enjoyed remarkable snecess as appellant's counsel before the Court of Appeals. He has always been ยท a member of the Republican party, and has long been the leader of the party organization in the Twenty-fourth Ward of the city, being also a delegate frequently to State and other conventions. In the Republican State Convention of 1896 he was the first delegate from New York City to vote for Mr. Black for Governor. Ile is identified with the "anti-machine" wing of the party. In June,
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1895, Mayor Strong appointed him Change of Grade Commis- sioner of the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth wards of the city, a commission created for the purpose of assessing damages to property owners occasioned by the changes resulting from sinking the tracks of the New York and Harlem Railroad. He lives at Kingsbridge, and is a large property owner in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth wards. He is a member of the Republican, Suburban, Progress, and Fordham clubs, as well as of the Royal Arcanum, for the past teu years having been Regent of Kingsbridge Council of the last-men- tioned order. He was married, in 1874, to Arline E. Lister, of New York City, and has a daughter-Elizabeth B., who was graduated from Bryn Mawr College, and Miss Ama Brown's School, and a son- William V. V. Stephens. Mr. Stephens was himself born in Coeymans- on-the-Hudson, Albany County. N. Y., February 22, 1844, the son of James Stephens and Elizabeth M. Ballantyne. His paternal ances- tors were settled in Connecticut from early colonial times, remor- ing first to Dutchess County, New York, and thence to Albany Conn- ty. His maternal grandfather came from Scotland to America in the early part of the present een- tury, settling in Albany County, New York. Gideon Stephens, Mr. Stephens's grandfather, did more than any other man of his time to- ward building up the village of Coeymans and the neighboring vil- lage of Stephensville. He con- GEORGE WASHINGTON STEPHENS. structed docks at Coeymans and did a general freighting business until 1842, when he failed. Removing to New Orleans he became a prominent merchant, recovering his fortune. He died at Vermilion- ville, La. Mr. Stephens's father came to New York City in 1854, and engaged in the bluestone business in Harlem. Later on he established a coal business in Harlem and Mott Haven, which has since been con- tinued by his son. Olin J. Stephens, and is the largest concern of its - kind in the upper part of New York City.
RABE, RUDOLPH FREDERICK, attended a collegiate high school of Ottendorf, Germany, entered the law office of Conable & Elliott, of New York City, in 1864, and in 1869 was graduated from the Columbia College Law School, and admitted to the bar. Hle at once began practice. He was in partnership with Hon. Edward
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Browne from 1870 until the latter was elected a Judge of the City Court in 1883. He then became head of the present firm of Rabe & Keller. He served four successive terms in the New Jersey Assembly beginning with 1874, being elected as an Independent Democrat from Hoboken. During his last term he was Speaker of the House. In 1877 he was elected to the New Jersey Senate from Hudson County for the term of three years. He was a delegate to the National Dem- ocratie Convention of 1876. He organized the Second National Bank of Hoboken in 1887, and has been its President since. For six years he was a trustee of the Hoboken German Academy. He was at one time one of the proprietors of the Hudson County Journal. He mar- ried, in 1866, Elizabeth, daughter of John Lusby, of New York City, and has two children. He was himself born in Ottendorf, Hanover, Germany, August 4, 1841, and is the son of Charles L. Rabe.
SCUDDER, TOWNSEND, was educated abroad, in France, Swit- zerland, Germany, and Italy, from 1876 to 1883 studied law with Winthrop Parker, and in 1888 was graduated from the Columbia College Law School. He was admitted to the bar in February, 1889, since which time he has practiced in New York City. He was born in Northport, L. I., July 26, 1865, and is the son of Townsend Scudder and Sarah M. Frost. His ancestors on both sides were settled in America in the early colonial period, while some of them were Revo- lutionary soldiers.
NILES, WILLIAM WATSON, was tutored by his father, attended Bradford Academy and Newbury Seminary, taught in schools and academies in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, and in 1845 was graduated from Dartmouth College. He studied law with his brother, Judge Niles, of La Porte, Ind., at the same time being assistant to the Professor of Chemistry in the Indiana Medical Col- lege. Coming to New York City he was for a time in the law office of John Cochrane. After a visit to Europe he engaged in law prac- tice in this city. During the period of the Tweed ring he organized the Citizens' Association in the northern wards of the city to compel both parties to make more satisfactory nominations. He participated in the overthrow of Tweed, being one of the most active lientenants of Sammel J. Tilden. He was elected to the New York Assembly, put on its Judiciary Committee, and procured the signatures of the entire committee to a resolution of impeachment of Judges Barnard, Cardozo, and McCann. He was one of the managers appointed by the Assembly to try Judge Barnard. He was one of ten who organ- ized the Central Loyal League during the Civil War, the Union League Club of this city growing out of it. He was again elected to the Assembly in 1881. He was one of the Park Commissioners appointed in connection with the new parks of New York City. He
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assisted in the construction of the first railroad west of Lake Erie. He obtained the charter for the Forty-second Street Ferry, New York City. He organized the Ferry and Land Improvement Com- pany, was its first Secretary, and became its President. He was pri- vate counsel to Governor Tilden, and became counsel to his law office after he retired from practice. He has argued many impor- tant cases in the State and Federal conris. He was born at West Fairlee, Vt., March 26, 1822, and is the son of Judge William Niles and the daughter of Colonel John Barron, of Bradford, Vt. The latter was an officer in the French and Indian war as well as in the Revolution. Mr. Niles descends through an illustrious line from John Niles, who settled in Braintree, Mass., in 1636.
McNAUGHT, JAMES, was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1863, from 1867 to 1887 was engaged in law practice in Seattle, Wash .; in 1879 was appointed counsel of the Western Division of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company; in 1887 became General Solicitor of this corporation, with headquarters at St. Paul, Min .; from 1889 to 1895 was General Counsel of the same company, and in 1895 retired to es- tablish himself in general law prae- tice in New York City in partner- ship with Joseph D. Redding, forn- erly Western counsel of the South- ern Pacific Railroad Company. During his entire connection with the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pauy he did not lose a single impor- tant case. He is President of the Lower Laureation Railroad Com- JAMES McNAUGHT. pany. He married, in 1871, Miss Agnes Ilyde, of Seattle, Wash., and has a son and a danghter. Mr. MeNaught was himself born in Lexing- ton, McLean County, III., September 9, 1842, and was educated in the public schools, at Wesleyan University. Bloomington. Ill .. and the Law University of Chicago, being graduated from the latter in 1863. At Seattle he had as partner for one year John J. McGilva, after- ward President of the Seattle Bar Association. Later on he was associated with Hon. S. S. Garfield. who became a Member of Con- gress. For seven years he had as his partner John Leary, under the firm style of MeNaught & Leary. His younger brother joining him. he organized the firin of MeNaught Brothers. This firm was reor- ganized to receive llon. E. P. Ferry and John IT. Mitchell. Jr. Mr.
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Ferry was Governor of Washington, both as a Territory and as a State. Thus organized, the firm became one of the most notable in the West, participating in all the important corporation litigations in Washington.
CAMP, HENRY, was long engaged in the practice of law in New York City as a member of the firm of Nettleton, Gilbert & Camp, which afterward became Nettleton & Camp, with offices at 111 Broad- way. He was born in Norwalk, Conn., March 9, 1824, and is the son of Nathan Camp and Araty, daughter of Thomas Raymond. He is the grandson of Stephen Camp and Rachel B. Hickok, and the great- grandson of Jonathan Camp. He descends from Nicholas Camp, who came from England with the New Haven Colony, and in 1639 became one of the founders of Milford, Conn. The ancestors on his mother's side settled at Salem, Mass., in 1635. Mr. Camp attended the common schools and an academy at Norwalk, Conn. He removed to New York City at the age of eleven, and finished his education at an academy and under private tutors. He learned the bookbinding trade with a relative, W. O. Hickok, of Harrisburg, Pa., and carried on a branch of it until he was about twenty-five years of age. From that time until 1861 he engaged in the business of stone-dressing by means of steam. During the Civil War he went to the front with the Seventy-first Regiment, with which he had been previously con- nected. Upon his return he studied law.
BREWSTER, EUGENE VALENTINE, has been engaged in the practice of law in Brooklyn since 1894, and as attorney for the Law Enforcement Society of that borough in 1896-97 gave much startling information to the Police Department, leading to a general shifting of police captains. He went on the professional stage for one year in 1889, and is known also as an artist and writer. He has published sev- eral volumes of fiction, and in 1896 became prominent as a champion of the silver cause. He was born in Bay Shore, N. Y., September 7, 1869, the son of ITenry D. Brewster and Clotilda T. Smith, and is a descendant of Elder William Brewster, of the Mayflower. He at- tended two academies in New Jersey and Princeton College.
HEALY, EDMUND J., was graduated from St. Francis Xavier's College and the Columbia College Law School. He began practice in this city in the office of Hon. Richard O'Gorman. In 1881 he was elected Justice of the Peace of Hempstead, L. I., and in 1885 was re-elected. He made Far Rockaway his home, and was the first President of the incorporated village of that name, serving three successive terms. He is now City Magistrate, Borough of Queens, City of New York. He is a director of the Far Rockaway Bank and its counsel. He is a member of the Catholic and Democratie clubs,
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and is a Knight of Columbia. He was born in New York City, July 14, 1848, and is the son of John J. Healy and Jane, daughter of James O'Mara. His brother, Rev. Gabriel A. Healy, is pastor of St. Bernard's Church, New York City.
CONNORTON, LUKE J., lawyer and influential Democrat of Flushing. Long Island, was born in that village. November 21, 1853, the son of the late Luke Connorton and Hannah Curly. He was grad- uated from Flushing Institute in 1872, studied law with ex-Congress- man J. W. Covert, and was admitted to the bar in Brooklyn in 1877. During the twelve years from 1878 he was annually elected Town Clerk of Flushing, at the same time practicing law. In 1889 he was elected Justice of the Peace for a term of four years, and in 1893 was re-elected. He holds court daily. For fifteen years he has also been Clerk to the Board of Trustees of the town of Flushing. Active in the Dem- ocratie organiza- tion, he is a mem- ber of its town com- mittee, has been a frequent delegate to local and State conventions, and in LUKE J. CONNORTON. 1888 was Alternate Delegate to the Democratic National Convention. On January 8, 1898, he was ap- pointed City Magistrate by Mayor Van Wyck under the charter of the Greater New York. He married Kate E. O'Brien, of Flushing, and has a son-William Connorton.
HOLT, WALTER H., received an academic education at Salisbury, N. C., worked on a farm, taught school, was a telegraph operator, a railroad agent, and at nineteen became agent of the Richmond and Danville Railroad, at Concord, N. C. In 1880 he came to New York, but soon returned South. In 1885 he returned to New York and entered the employ of the Manhattan Elevated Railway Company
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under Colonel F. K. Hain. The following year he entered the law office of Davies & Rapallo, while in 1893 he was admitted to the bar. Ile was candidate for the New York Assembly from Staten Island in 1896, but went down with the rest of the Democratic ticket, although polling 100 votes in his district more than William J. Bryan. In 1897, Ashbel P. Fitch, Comptroller of New York City, appointed him expert accountant for the Borough of Brooklyn. By Comptroller Bird S. Coler he was appointed Auditor of the Borough of Richmond on January 1, 1898. He is an Episcopalian, a Knight Templar, and a member of many clubs. He was born in Salisbury, N. C., Sep- tember 27. 1858, and is the son of John A. Holt, of North Carolina, and Augusta M. Ritter, of New York. His father lost his property during the Civil War. He was first cousin of Thomas M. Holt. who was Governor of North Carolina.
MERRILL, JOHN BRYANT, has been engaged in the practice of law at Woodhaven, I. I., since 1887. He was in the Signal Corps, United States Army, from 1874 to 1883; in 1879 being detailed as In- structor in Meteorology, Military Signaling, and Tactics at the Uni- versity of West Virginia: in 1881 being assigned to investigate the occurrence of cyclones in the West- ern States, and in 1882 being placed in charge of the Weather Burean at New York City. Re- signing, he was engaged in busi- ness in New York from 1883 to 1887. In 1890 he was elected School Commissioner of the Ser- ond District of Queens County, and in 1894 was elected a member of the Woodhaven Board of Edu- cation. His progressive work in connection with the schools has given him considerable local repu- tation. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow. He was born in Plain- JOHN BRYANT MERRILL. ville, Conn., January 7, 1857, and was edneated in the public schools of Washington, D. C. He is the son of Squire G. Merrill and Lucy Porter, of Hartford County. Connectient. His ancestors, originally from Scotland, have been two hundred years settled in America. Mr. Merrill married, in 1880, Ida K. Gibson, of Washington, and has a son and three daughters.
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STORY, ELMER GILDERSLEEVE, attended the common schools, Bishop's English and Classical Academy at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1884 was graduated from Cornell University, and was subsequently graduated from the Law Department of the New York University. From 1886 to 1894 he was United States Goverment Superintendent in the customs service. Since 1894 he has been engaged in the prac- tice of law in New York City. He is a member of the Phi Delta Phi and Cornell University elubs of this city, the Niantic Club, of Flush- ing. and the Queens County Bar Association. He was born in Schultz- ville, Dutchess County, N. Y., April 21, 1862, and is the son of Deane Story and Marietta Case. His ancestors, originally English, have been long established in this country.
STILWELL, STEPHEN J., was educated at the Union Free School of Yonkers, N. Y., and the Law School of the New York University. Since his admission to the bar he has been engaged in practice at Mount Vernon. He has been counsel for the towns of Eastchester, Pelham, and Mamaroneck in Westchester County. He was formerly the owner and editor of the Mount Vernon Reformer, the official Democratic organ at that place. Himself a member of the New York Assembly from the First District of Westchester County, he is the nephew of Silas M. Stilwell, Assemblyinan, who passed the Stilwell Act, releasing prisoners held for debt. He is a member of the Foresters and of the Knights of St. John and Malta. He was born in Yonkers, N. Y., May 10, 1866, and is the son of William J. Stilwell and Mary D. Archer, and the grandson of John Stilwell.
MARSHALL, WILLIAM JEROME, educated in the public schools of Eastchester and Mount Vernon, Westchester County, N. Y., stud- ied law with Hon. William H. Pemberton, and in May, 1879. was admitted to the bar. His practice has been largely along commer- cial lines. He is serving his second term of two years as Corporation Comsel of Mount Vernon. He is a member of the City Club and the Niagara Hose Company of Mount Vernon, and is Past Commander of the Knights of St. John and Malta. He was born in Williams- bridge, now a part of New York City, May 10, 1858, and is the son of William Marshall and Ann Duffie. His grandfather was Cornelius Marshall, and his great-grandfather Thomas Marshall. His paternal grandparents came to this country from Ireland, but were originally of Sheffield. England.
KENNEY, JOHN J., was educated in the public schools of Rich- mond Comty and Manhattan Borough. He taught school in Rich- mond County, studied law with Judge Tompkins Westervelt, and took a course in the Law School of the University of the City of New
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York. He was admitted to the bar in February, 1882, and has been engaged in practice since. He is attorney to the Staten Island Elec- tric Railroad Company and the Board of Supervisors of Richmond County. He served nine years as Clerk of the village of New Brigh- ton, and also served as a member of its Board of Education. He likewise served six years as School Commissioner for Richmond County, and secured the improvement of every schoolhouse in the county and the erection of many new edifices. Since February 15, 1898, he has been Justice of the Municipal Court for the Borough of Richmond by appointment of Mayor Van Wyk. He is the son of Patrick and Mary Kenney, and was born in New York City, March 2, 1858.
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