USA > New York > New York State's prominent and progressive men : an encyclopaedia of contemporaneous biography, Volume I > Part 26
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Mr. Runkle has held and has sought no political office, and has taken no part in politics beyond that of a private citizen. He is, in both inheritance and personal conviction, an earnest Republican.
He is well known in the city of New York, in both business and social life. Among the prominent clubs of which he is a member are the Union League, Manhattan, Lawyers', and New York Yacht clubs, all of New York.
Mr. Runkle was married at Easton, Pennsylvania, on June 3, 1880, his bride being Miss Jeannie F. Randolph, a member of an old and honored family of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Runkle : Daniel Run- kle, who at this writing is a student at Yale, and Mary Gray Runkle.
HENRY WOODWARD SACKETT
THE name of Sackett has been well known in this country ever since the foundation of the New England colonies. Some who bore it were among the Plymouth Pilgrims. Later several followed Roger Williams to Rhode Island, and were among his chief supporters there. In a still later generation was Major Buel Sackett, an officer in the Revolutionary War, and one of those upon whom devolved the mournful duty of witness- ing the execution of Major André. A son of Major Sackett was a captain in the War of 1812, and a son of the latter, Solon Philo Sackett, became a prominent physician and surgeon at Ithaca, New York. Dr. Sackett, who died in 1893, was the father of the subject of this sketch. His wife was Lovedy K. Woodward, the daughter of Charles Woodward, an English gentleman who, having come to this country on a hunting trip, was so impressed with the charms of central New York that he purchased a large tract of land between Cayuga and Seneca lakes, and made his home there for the remainder of his life. He was an enthusiastic and discriminating collector of ornithological and conchological specimens, and amassed one of the finest private museums of such objects in this country.
Henry Woodward Sackett, son of Dr. S. P. Sackett and Lovedy Woodward Sackett, was born at Enfield, New York, on August 31, 1853. Much of his childhood was spent at the home of his grandfather, Mr. Woodward, under whose influence, as well as under that of his own father, his mind was early imbued with studiousness and with a love of literature and science. He received a preparatory education at Ithaca Academy, and at the age of fifteen years was matriculated at Cornell University. He did not at once enter upon the university course, however, but
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spent some time in teaching. Finally he pursued the full classi- cal course at the university, and was graduated in 1875 with the highest rank in mathematics and various other honors and class distinctions. The next year was spent in teaching at the Monti- cello (New York) Military Academy, and then he came to this city to study and practise law.
Mr. Sackett's legal studies were pursued chiefly in a first-rate law office, and were combined with newspaper work on the staff of the "Tribune." In 1879 he was admitted to practice at the New York bar, and then became associated in business with Cornelius A. Runkle, who was for many years counsel for the " Tribune " and one of the best-known lawyers of this city. Mr. Runkle died in 1888, and Mr. Sackett succeeded him as counsel for the "Tribune." At that time he formed a law partnership with Charles Gibson Bennett, under the name of Sackett & Ben- nett. Six years later Mr. Bennett was succeeded in the firm by William A. McQuaid, the name becoming Sackett & McQuaid. Mr. McQuaid was educated at Yale University, where he was valedictorian of his class, and he is recognized as one of the most promising of the younger alumni of that university. Finally, in 1897, the firm was further enlarged by the entrance of Selden Bacon, a son of the Rev. Dr. Leonard Woolsey Bacon and grand- son of the famous Leonard Bacon. Mr. Bacon was formerly professor of equity and practice in the Law School of the Uni- versity of Minnesota. The firm, now known as Sackett, Bacon & McQuaid, has an enviable rank in the legal profession of New York.
Mr. Sackett, as counsel for the "Tribune," has won distinc- tion by the unvarying success with which he has defended the occasional libel suits brought against that paper. In connection with that part of his professional work he wrote, in 1884, a brief treatise on the law of libel, especially designed for the use of newspaper men, to inform them upon the subject, and to enable them, as far as possible, to avoid such suits, and to be prepared to defend them when unavoidable. His early fondness for news- paper work has continued, and has been manifested in the writing of numerous editorial and other articles for the "Tribune " on legal and other matters in which he is especially interested. Mr. Sackett has long taken an earnest interest in politics, and has
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been an efficient worker for reformed methods of municipal administration, but has never been a candidate for office. He entered the National Guard of the State of New York some years ago as a member of Troop A, now Squadron A, the crack cavalry organization. In 1896 he was appointed aide-de-camp, with the rank of colonel, on the staff of Governor Black. During the Spanish War, in 1898, he did several months of recruiting ser- vice in the North, and was paymaster of the New York troops in the South, with the rank of assistant paymaster-general.
Mr. Sackett was, from 1895 to 1897 inclusive, president of the Cornell University Club of New York, one of the largest college alumni organizations in the city, and is a trustee of Cornell Uni- versity, elected by the alumni in June, 1899; a trustee of the Society for the Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places and Objects; one of the organizers of the Society of Medical Juris- prudence; and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Asso- ciation, the University Club, City Club, Hardware Club, Bar Association, St. George's Society, St. Nicholas Society, American Geographical Society, Sons of the American Revolution, Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, and various other or- ganizations. He is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and a vestryman of St. Thomas's Church, Mamaroneck, New York, at which place he has a fine summer home.
Mr. Sackett was married, in 1886, to Miss Elizabeth Titus, daughter of Edmund Titus of Brooklyn, one of the incorpora- tors of the New York Produce Exchange.
RussellPage sellTage
RUSSELL SAGE
THERE is in all the business world of the United States no more interesting department than that which is found in the money and stock market of Wall Street, and among all the actors in the latter there is certainly no more interesting figure than that of the venerable subject of this sketch. For nearly forty years Mr. Sage has been a leader of Wall Street, and to-day, de- spite his advanced age, he is still as active and as forceful as ever, and there is no one in all the strenuous whirl of American bourse life who exerts a greater influence upon the current of business, or whose operations are watched with more intentness. With a sound mind in a sound body, such dual soundness scrupulously guarded by methodical habits of life, abstinence from the use of tobacco or stimulants, and the keeping of normal hours for sleep, Mr. Sage remains, at eighty-four years, as keen of intellect and all but as robust and active of body as any of his colleagues of half his years.
Russell Sage was born in the little village of Shenandoah, in the town of Verona, Oneida County, New York, on August 15, 1816. His parents, Elisha and Prudence (Risley) Sage, had shortly before left the Mohawk Valley to go to what was then the far West, in Michigan. After the birth of their son, how- ever, they abandoned their plans of further migration, and re- mained at Verona, removing two years later to Durhamville, in the same county. There they dwelt permanently, and there Elisha Sage died in 1854, after his son had attained a fortune and a national reputation. Russell Sage spent his childhood upon his father's farm, and at the age of twelve years became an errand boy in the grocery store of his brother, Henry Risley Sage, at Troy, New York. There, despite his hard work and long hours
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of duty, he continued the studies he had begun at the district school, and thus in time acquired an excellent education.
At the age of twenty-one Mr. Sage became the partner of another brother, Elisha Montague Sage, in a retail grocery store, also in Troy, and a few years later, through enterprise and econ- omy, accumulated enough capital to buy out his brother's interest and become sole proprietor. Thus he prospered until 1839, when he made the store a wholesale establishment, and took John W. Bates as his partner. A large business was done in agricultural produce, beef, pork, and flour, and also in horses, and a number of vessels plying on the Hudson River were first chartered and then purchased by the firm for its use. His prominence in busi- ness led Mr. Sage into politics, as a Whig, and he was an Alder- man of Troy in 1845, and for some years after that treasurer of Rensselaer County. In 1848 he was a delegate to the National Whig Convention, and voted for Henry Clay until it was evident that the latter's candidacy was hopeless, when he changed his vote to General Taylor, who was nominated. Two years later Mr. Sage was a candidate for Representative in Congress, but was defeated. He was elected, however, in 1852, and again, by an increased majority, in 1854. In Congress he served on the Ways and Means and other important committees, and won wide notice as a valuable legislator. He also took a leading part in the measures which led to the disruption of the Whig party and the formation of the Republican party, to which latter he attached himself at its foundation.
During his Congressional career Mr. Sage maintained his busi- ness in Troy, and made frequent trips to that city. On one of these trips he made the acquaintance of Jay Gould, and friend- ship arose between the two men which powerfully influenced the after lives of both. Through that influence Mr. Sage was led, in 1857, to give up his business at Troy and devote his attention to purely financial matters. In 1863 he removed to New York city and entered Wall Street. At first he paid attention chiefly to railroad interests, but in 1874 he purchased a seat in the Stock Exchange and became a general operator in the transactions of the Street. He was for many years the foremost dealer in what are called, in Wall Street parlance, "puts," "calls," and " straddles." Although associated with Mr. Gould and other
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notable speculators, he has been himself apparently concerned in few large speculative enterprises, and has seldom been seen upon the floor of the Exchange. He has, however, been interested in a majority of the great operations of the Street, and by virtue of his caution and discretion, his indomitable persistence, and his un- rivaled coolness and self-control even in the most exciting crises, he has made his way with probably a more uniform success than any of his contemporaries in Wall Street, and has amassed one of the largest private fortunes in the United States. In the com- pass of such a sketch as this it would be useless to try even to outline the history of his Wall Street career. That history is the history of Wall Street itself for a full generation.
Mr. Sage has taken an active part in the construction of more than five thousand miles of railroads, and has been president of more than twenty-five railroad or railroad-construction compa- nies. He is to-day prominently connected with more than a score of important corporations, including some of the foremost rail- road, steamship, telegraph, and gas companies, and banks. He is the only surviving founder and original director of the Fifth Avenue Bank of New York.
Mr. Sage has twice been married. His first wife, whom he married in 1841, was Miss Maria Winne, daughter of Moses I. Winne of Troy. She died in 1867. In 1867 he married Miss Olivia Slocum, daughter of the Hon. Joseph Slocum of Syracuse, New York. He has no children. Mrs. Sage is a woman of high culture and great personal charm. She has identified herself with numerous movements for the promotion of the welfare of her sex. She was a graduate of the Troy Female Seminary, of which Mrs. Emma Hart Willard was the founder, and has been a most beneficent friend of that admirable institution. In 1895, in honor of his wife and in memory of Mrs. Willard, Mr. Sage pre- sented to the seminary a fine new dormitory, costing two hundred thousand dollars. Because of his wife's interest in it, also, he more recently gave fifty thousand dollars to the Woman's Hos- pital in the State of New York, in New York city, for the erec- tion of a new building. These are only two of many deeds of beneficence which Mr. Sage has performed, simply and unosten- tatiously, in his long and distinguished career.
WILLIAM SALOMON
W ILLIAM SALOMON, well known as a member of one of the great international banking firms of this city, traces his genealogy, on both sides of his family, back to Revolutionary stock. On his father's side he is descended from Haym Salomon, the Philadelphia banker and patriot. His mother's name was Rosalie Alice Levy. She was a granddaughter of Jacob de Leon, of Charleston, South Carolina, a captain in the Revo- lutionary army, and a great-granddaughter of Hayman Levy, who was a prominent figure in the commercial world in the early days of New York, and who was associated with the first enterprises of John Jacob Astor and Nicholas Low.
William Jones Salomon was born on October 9, 1852, in Mobile, Alabama. While an infant he removed with his parents to Philadelphia, where his childhood was spent and his educa- tion was begun. Failing health made it necessary to take him out of school, and in 1864 he was sent to New York and placed under private tuition. He soon gained in strength sufficiently to enter the Columbia Grammar School, where he remained until he was fifteen years of age, and after that devoted him- self for a period to the study of the French and German languages. In 1865 his parents removed to New York.
On leaving school young Salomon at once began his business career in the employ of the house of Speyer & Co., with which he was so long associated. He began in a subordinate capacity, and carefully studied all the details of the business as he advanced. Having familiarized himself with the business of the New York office, he desired to do the same in the European offices of the firm. He therefore obtained permission to trans- fer himself to the principal offices of Speyer & Co. at Frankfort-
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on-Main, where he could study the methods of the house there, and at the same time perfect his practical knowledge and use of the modern European languages. About that time, however, the great war of 1870-71 between France and Germany broke out, and on that account he was compelled to remain in London for a time, in the London house of Speyer & Co. His experience there was useful to him, and then, early in the war, he went on to Germany for two years and fulfilled his plans. In 1872 he returned to New York. In 1875, one of the principal partners being called to Europe, Mr. Salomon was appointed manager of the New York establishment, and for many years afterward was prominently identified with its history.
The firm of Speyer & Co. has long been actively interested in placing United States bonds with German investors, and in sell- ing the bonds of American railways to European capitalists. Mr. Salomon made a specialty of railway investments, and through his efforts the firm attained a remarkable prestige in this par- ticular line. Some notable loans which it has been instrumental in effecting are those of the Central Pacific, the Southern Pacific, the Pennsylvania, the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul, the Illinois Central, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, and the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific railways. Mr. Salomon per- sonally was prominently interested in the reorganization of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway Company, and became chairman of its board of directors.
Mr. Salomon's political affiliations are with the Democratic party, but he has taken no very active part in politics since 1891, when he was chairman of the finance committee of the New York Democracy, which strongly supported the nomination of Mr. Cleveland for the Presidency. He has a marked inclination toward literature, and has contributed a number of meritorious articles on financial and other topics to current magazines. He has traveled extensively in Europe, and has visited every State and Territory in the Union.
Mr. Salomon was married, in 1892, to Mrs. Helen Forbes Lewis, daughter of William Mckenzie Forbes of Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland.
EDWARD WILLIAM SCOTT
THE family of Scott, which has been distinguished in public affairs in this country, and which gave to the military ser- vice one of the most gallant and majestic figures in the world's history of wars, settled in the American colonies at an early day. One branch of it became established in Virginia, from which sprang Winfield Scott. Another was located in Connecticut, and to it belonged Winfield Scott's cousin, William Scott. The latter removed from Connecticut to the western part of New York, and there acquired from the Holland Purchase Land Company an extensive estate, which was in turn possessed by his son, William Scott, Jr. The latter married Louisa M. Brown, daughter of Smith Brown of Rhode Island, whose ancestors were among the earliest English settlers in New England.
The son of William, Jr., and Louisa Scott, Edward William Scott, was born at Lockport, New York, on October 7, 1845, and was educated in the common and high schools of Lockport, the Wilbraham Academy in Massachusetts, and Eastman's Busi- ness College, Poughkeepsie, New York.
From the first his inclinations were toward a business career, and he promptly selected life-insurance as a calling to which he felt best adapted and in which he deemed himself best assured of success.
He began work in a subordinate position, but through energy, application, tact, and integrity he made a steady progress in the favor of his employers and steadily rose from rank to rank.
In his early business career he became associated with the Equitable Life Assurance Society, and to its service he devoted his time and ability, with mutual profit. For more than twenty years he was connected with that society, first as superintendent
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of agencies, and subsequently was for several years one of its vice-presidents and directors. During this time he established its business in several foreign countries, and in furthering its work circumnavigated the globe three times.
In 1896 Mr. Scott resigned his position, and was elected presi- dent of the Provident Savings Life Assurance Society of New York. He is a director of the North American Trust Company, and is connected with other financial institutions.
Devotion to his chosen business and the absorbing nature of its duties, as well as following his own tastes, have kept Mr. Scott removed from public office and from political activities, save such as are incidental to the life of an intelligent, interested, and patriotic citizen. His extensive travel, combined with his observing mind and loyalty to friends, have given him a very wide acquaintance, both at home and abroad.
Mr. Scott is connected with a number of clubs and other social organizations. Among these are the Union League, Colonial (he is one of its ex-presidents), Lawyers', Merchants', New York Athletic, Riders' and Drivers', Suburban, and Columbia Yacht clubs, and the New England Society of New York. Mr. Scott retired from the presidency of the Colonial Club at the expira- tion of his term of office in the spring of 1893, to the great regret of all his associates, who appreciated the valuable work he had done for the club. A farewell dinner was given to him by about a hundred members of the club, on the eve of his sailing for Europe, just before the expiration of his term, and when his positive declination of a renomination had become known.
He was married, in November, 1864, to Miss Ellen R. Moody of Lockport, New York. Their family consists of four sons : Edward William Scott, Jr., Walter Scott, Wallace Scott, and Elmer Scott. His home, to which he is devoted, is a center of cultivation and refinement.
JOHN MARSTON SCRIBNER
THE name of the Rev. John M. Scribner will be remembered by many as the author of a number of mathematical works and the successful principal of young ladies' seminaries at Au- burn and Rochester, New York. To him and his wife, Ann Eliza Scribner, there was born a son, at Middleburg, Schoharie County, New York, on October 4, 1839, to whom the father's name was transmitted, John Marston Scribner. The boy at- tended for four years the Delaware Literary Institute at Frank- lin, New York, entered the junior class of Union College in 1857, and two years later was graduated. Then he entered as a student the law office of Sanford & Danforth at Middleburg. In the fall of 1860 he came to New York city, and entered as a student the office of the Hon. Hamilton W. Robinson, where he pursued his studies to so good an advantage that in May, 1861, he was admitted to practice at the bar.
Mr. Scribner remained for some time in the office of his latest preceptor, Mr. Robinson. At first he was merely a clerk ; but in September, 1863, he was taken into partnership, the firm thereafter being known as Robinson & Scribner. This partner- ship continued until July, 1870. At that time Mr. Robinson became a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in this city, and the law business of the firm was transferred to Mr. Scribner. He remained alone for several years, but finally, in January, 1876, he formed a partnership with E. Randolph Robinson, and thus revived the old name of Robinson & Scribner, which in 1882 was changed to Robinson, Scribner & Bright by the admission of Osborn E. Bright. On May 1, 1890, Mr. Scribner withdrew from the firm and resumed the practice on his own account, and since that time has continued alone in this work.
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Mr. Scribner's practice has dealt largely with street-railroad affairs, though of course it has included much other legal work in other branches of the profession. In early years he had in charge the legal affairs of George Law's extensive street-railroad system and other interests. For nearly a quarter of a century he was sole counsel for the Broadway and Seventh Avenue Rail- road Company, and during that time conducted a vast amount of litigation in behalf of it. For more than thirty years he per- formed the same service for the Dry Dock, East Broadway and Battery Railroad Company. He has also been counsel for many years of the Eighth Avenue Railroad Company, the Ninth Ave- nue Railroad Company, and the New York and Brooklyn Ferry Company. He was also counsel for the famous old stage lines which were operated on Broadway and some of the avenues be- fore the construction of the Broadway Railroad. He was for a number of years one of the counsel for the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company in New York and Brooklyn. More recently he has been acting as counsel for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company in its numerous litigations, particularly in personal injury cases, of which he has successfully defended perhaps as many as any lawyer in this State.
Mr. Scribner has never held nor sought public office. He has, however, long taken an earnest interest in politics as an inde- pendent Democrat.
Among the social and professional organizations of which he is a member may be mentioned the Bar Association of New York city, and the University and Lawyers' clubs.
He is also president of the board of trustees of the Central Presbyterian Church, and in February, 1899, was the recipient of a massive silver loving-cup from his associates after a service of twenty-five years as a member of the same board.
JOHN ENNIS SEARLES
MONG the great industrial combinations which form the A characteristic feature of manufacturing and other business in these closing years of the century, one of the most conspicu- ous and most powerful is the American Sugar Refining Com- pany, commonly known as the Sugar Trust. This vast concern, with a capital of fifty million dollars, has for years practically con- trolled the sugar trade of the continent, the magnitude of the operations enabling it to outstrip all rivals, while also enabling it to supply the market with an admirable stock of the great food staple at a much lower price than would be possible under other conditions. It is interesting to observe that the organizer of this corporation, and the moving spirit in other concerns of scarcely less magnitude, is a man who began business as a clerk on what would commonly be reckoned starvation wages. The story of his rise from a subordinate to a commanding place, if told in detail, would form a striking chapter of business history, characteristic of the land of unbounded opportunities.
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