USA > New York > Noted living Albanians and state officials. A series of biographical sketches > Part 27
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Since leaving the office of state engineer and surveyor Mr. Sweet has devoted most of his time to the building of bridges, making this a specialty. He is now president of
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the Hilton Bridge Construction Company of this city, whose shops are located on Bridge street in the lumber district, where ample facilities are found for carrying on work on the largest scale, including not only the construction of steel and iron bridges, but in the manufacture of iron and steel roofs, girders, beams and heavy architectural wrought-iron and steel work generally. He was recently elected a director of the Albany Railway Company.
Mr. Sweet has published a technical paper on the con- struction of bridges, and besides other contributions al- ready mentioned, he made annual reports issued from Al- bany during the years he held office.
In 1860 he married Miss Marion Rose of Stephentown, by whom he has had eight children, six of whom still survive. His oldest son, a bright and promising young man of twenty- four, died in January, 1886, deeply lamented.
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He is much attached to the city of his adoption, and by Albanians is greatly esteemed and popular with all classes. He has a handsome residence at No. 13 Ten Broeck street . and intends, we believe, to spend the remainder of his life - a life already remarkable for its activities and successful ac- complishments in the line of his chosen profession - in our midst.
In personal appearance, Mr. Sweet impresses one with the thought that he is absorbed in his profession and cares but little for outward display. His manners are courteous and bland, and he is a good specimen of that simplicity of style and sincerity of friendship, which are the leading character- istics of a gentleman and a scientist.
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Grant Jabon
CHARLES F. TABOR.
C HARLES F. Tabor, the present attorney-general of the state of New York, whose official residence is now in Albany, was born on the 28th of June, 1841, in the town of Newstead, Erie county, N. Y. His father, Silas Tabor, was a lawyer, and also attended to the cultivation of his farm in that pleasant township, and there, after spending many years both in mental and manual exercise, he closed an honorable and useful career in 1863, in the midst of the stirring and eventful scenes of our great civil war. He was a man of great probity and many other noble characteristics and left the legacy of a good name to his children. His wife, Betsy E. Tabor, was a woman of high character and amiability of disposition, whose presence enlivened and cheered the whole household. She died in 1881.
Charles F., the subject of this sketch, worked on his father's farm until he was about seventeen years of age, also attending, when he could, the common school of the neigh- borhood. After he had obtained a fair education in the elementary branches he taught a district school in the win- ters, and prepared himself for college at Lima, Clarence and Williamsville academies. He was naturally fond of books and delighted in study, but for want of sufficient pecuniary means he was obliged to give up his college ambition. This
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was a hard blow to the young man, who was, in the more proper sense of the term, to become a self-made man with- out the aid of the highest institutions of learning, But he well utilized the knowledge which he had gained in the acad- emy, and read with eagerness all the books which he could come across at home, especially those pertaining to the law, a profession for which he was fully determined to qualify him- self and which he loved from his youth up. In the spring of 1861, inspired with the pleasing thought of being one day enrolled as a member of so noble a profession, he began the study of the law in the office of Humphrey & Parsons, of Buffalo, N. Y., and so carefully had he improved his oppor- tunities-notwithstanding the fact that he found it neces- sary to teach school in the winters to defray his current ex- penses- that he was admitted to the bar in the fall of 1863 by the general term of the supreme court.
In 1865, at the close of the civil war, Mr. Tabor opened a law office in Buffalo, where he continued to practice with suc- cess and a constantly increasing reputation until he was called to assume his duties first as a deputy, and afterward as the attorney-general of the empire state.
In 1867-9 Mr. Tabor was an excise commissioner of Erie county, and for two years held the office of supervisor of the town of Lancaster, Erie county.
For his sincere, whole-souled devotion to the cause of the democratic party - in which he imitated the example of his father - the democrats of the fourth district of Erie county - a republican district -- looked upon him as a strong and most available candidate for member of the assembly, and accordingly nominated him in 1875. He was triumphantly elected over Charles A. Clark, many republi- cans giving him complimentary votes in recognition of his
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sterling qualities and remembering his early difficulties in climbing the hill of science. He was re-elected in the au- tumn of 1876. In the legislature he showed no little tact and ability as a ready and forcible debater, and always stood up boldly for the leading measures of his political party. He was a member of the committees on education and cities, and on the whole, acquitted himself with credit and with the approval of his constituents.
After the close of his legislative career, Mr. Tabor carried on an extensive law practice at Buffalo for about eight years, when the more public duties of the state claimed his services. In 1883 he was the democratic candidate for county judge of Erie county, and was defeated by only seventy-eight votes, in a county which gave Garfield 3,800 majority. It was indeed a flattering vote for the young and rising lawyer, and showed the high esteem in which he was held by many outside his own party. In the summer of 1885 he accepted the appointment of first deputy under Attorney-General Denis O'Brien, and for two years per- formed a large part of the onerous duties in that depart- ment, having had " charge of the public interests before the board of claims, and the conduct of the cases brought against state officers."
In the fall of 1887 he was nominated by the democratic party, in the convention which met at Saratoga, to succeed Mr. O'Brien. After an earnest and thorough campaign on both sides, he was elected by a plurality of 14,361, carrying his native county of Erie by a majority of 300, while the head of the republican ticket received 2,100 majority in the same county.
With a popularity thus strongly evinced and with perfect familiarity with the work he was to undertake, he entered
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upon his new office as attorney-general on the Ist of Janu- ary, 1888, and is always endeavoring to serve the best in- terests of the state as a faithful public servant, with equal justice to all concerned, without partisan considera- tions. Mr. Tabor was re-elected for two years in 1889 by 9,71 I majority.
Mr. Tabor has long enjoyed the reputation of being a well-read lawyer, and his legal opinions are formed after deep research and careful study of the correct principles of legal science. From his early youth his life has been a studious one, and by his own efforts and untiring persever- ance he has gradually risen from a hard working farmer's boy to occupy a high and honorable position, in which he has already reflected much credit on himself and honor on the state.
Plain in his manners, easily approachable, modest in his demeanor, sincere in his friendship, and always diligent in his business he is one of the many self-made men with whom our country abounds, and for whose welfare she is always willing to extend a helping hand.
Ihm Boys Thachin
JOHN BOYD THACHER.
H ON. John Boyd Thacher was born at Ballston Springs, N. Y., September 11, 1847. He is the eldest son of the late George H. Thacher, who was for many years mayor of Albany, and his mother was Ursula J. Boyd, daughter of David Boyd, Esq., of Schenectady. His first American an- cestor was Rev. Thomas Thacher who was the first pastor of the old South church of Boston. His father's maternal grandfather, Judge Hornell, was the founder of the import- ant town of Hornellsville in this state.
To ex-Mayor George H. Thacher it is needless to allude in this connection, more than to pay, in passing, a tribute of respect to one who was one of the most prominent business men of Albany, and who has been referred to as " that old war-horse of the democracy, who, in years gone by, so often led the party to victory." In nothing the elder Thacher ever did, did he show sounder common sense than in the education he gave his son, the subject of this sketch, an education so practical as to fully inform him upon the little understood conflicting claims of capital and labor. After the usual preparatory course, Mr. Thacher entered Williams college, from which institution he graduated with honor in 1869. Far too many college graduates and far too many fathers of college graduates imagine that with a diploma
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and a degree the work of education comes to a full stop. The Thachers, father and son, made no such mistake. Throwing off the broadcloth and fine linen of the student, the son entered his father's car wheel works where he was taught the trade of a molder. He learned iron as he had previously learned books and became as industrious a work- ingman as he had been a diligent student. His evenings were passed in taking a thorough course of book-keeping and accounts at Folsom's Business college. Having mas- tered his father's business in all its details he became a member of his father's firm. The business is now conducted by Mr. Thacher and his brother George H. Thacher. It is their proud boast that in all the years of its existence there has never been a word of dispute between their house and their employees, and to-day, twenty-five years after the war, they are paying their skilled molders the same rate of wages which prevailed during that period of inflation.
Mr. Thacher's first active connection with public affairs was as a member of the board of health of Albany. In that capacity he compiled the rules and regulations under which that board is still working.
In 1883 Mr. Thacher was elected to the state senate from this district. Here it became his duty to look after the nec- essary appropriations to carry on the good work of building the capitol. Each year he secured large sums and hun- dreds of stone-cutters and laborers found constant employ- ment. Since that time it has been the policy of the legisla- ture to withhold appropriations, and as a consequence the magnificent capitol, magnificent even in its imperfect state, remains unfinished and incomplete Mr. Thacher was active in having contract work in the prisons abolished, and he made some strong arguments in behalf of the labor interests
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which were imperiled by that objectionable system. While serving on the senate cities committee, charged with investi- gating the government of the city of New York, Mr. Thacher became interested in the subject of tenement-house reform and introduced a bill appointing a commission, which was afterward organized with the late Joseph W. Drexel as chairman, and from whose good labors has resulted much valuable remedial legislation. Mr. Thacher led the fight in the legislature of 1885 in behalf of the constitutional require- ment for an enumeration of the inhabitants. The majority in the legislature favored an elaborate and expensive census similar to that taken five years before by the general govern- ment. Mr. Thacher's argument was, first, that the enumera- tion of the inhabitants as required by the constitution was for the specific purpose of reapportioning the various sena- torial and assembly districts, that each should have as nearly as possible an equal number of inhabitants ; and, second, that since the last state census of 1875, the state has established bureaus and departments which annually gathered all that minute and statistical information sought by an elaborate census.
While General Grant lay ill and slowly dying in the late winter of 1885, the congress of the United States was with much feeling and bitterness discussing the propriety of plac- ing him again upon the retired list of generals of the army and affording him a proper pension. The party to which Mr. Thacher belonged was then in power in the house of representatives and the indications were not favorable to the reinstatement of the General. Mr. Thacher saw very plainly that should death come to General Grant before the act of justice and propriety was accorded him, everlasting disgrace would attach to the democratic party, and on the
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evening of February 1I, 1885, against the advice of three of the most prominent democrats in the nation, he introduced into the senate and had placed a concurrent resolution call- ing upon the New York representatives in congress to im- mediately act in favor of pensioning the illustrious soldier. He made on that occasion a short but notable speech, and upon the sending of the resolutions to the members of con- gress, he himself went on to Washington and successfully labored with his party friends in favor of that righteous measure. In less than six months the nation's warrior died, and in the universal respect and honor paid his memory was manifested the wisdom of that congressional action. It is said that Mr. Thacher is prouder of his part in these pro- ceedings than in any other act of his legislative career.
In the spring of 1886 Mr. Thacher was elected mayor of Albany. It was the bi-centennial of that ancient city, and the ceremonies incident to a proper recognition of the oc- casion laid severe strains upon the young municipal officer. It is unnecessary to speak of the success attending that celebration, a goodly share of which may fairly be attributed to the zeal and enthusiasm of the mayor. During the four days of the celebration Mayor Thacher made nearly a dozen addresses on as many different subjects, and each attracted the attention of the people of the state, particularly those addressed to the Indians and to the representatives from Holland and which were prepared on a few hours' notice and in the confusion of the moment.
Mayor Thacher's two years of administration were marked with the lowest tax rate since the first year of the war when his honored father was mayor. For two hundred years the citizens of Albany had maintained a free market site on State street, the broad thoroughfare leading to the capitol.
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The manifest impropriety of using so grand a street for such purposes led the mayor to recommend the removal of the market and the purchase by the city of an adequate site elsewhere. While this step met with much opposition it was carried to a successful issue and now the farmers who bring to the new market their produce and the people who purchase it are all delighted with the change.
In the winter of 1887 public notice was given that Judge A. J. Parker, who as trustee of the Harmanus Bleecker fund, had nearly a year before offered it to the Young Men's As- sociation contingent upon their raising $50,000, would give only to the Ist day of January, 1888, for the accomplish- ment of the task. But a little over two weeks of that pro- bationary period remained, and a meeting was called on De- cember 14, 1887, at which Mayor Thacher presided, and at which it was determined to make a last expiring effort to raise the money and secure the Bleecker fund. Committees were organized throughout the city, representing every walk and condition in life and daily meetings were held. By the evening of December 31, 1887, there had been subscribed the magnificent sum of $56,518, and thus the Bleecker fund amounting to above $1 30,000 was secured for an excellent in- stitution and the erection of a large public hall assured. Considering the time given and the amount required the task seemed superhuman.
In the month of February, 1888, Mayor Thacher organized and successfully inaugurated a winter carnival, the first of its kind ever held south of Montreal. It lasted three days, and so perfect was the weather and so smoothly ran all the pro- ceedings that the people attributed it all to " Thacher's luck."
Following the expiration of his mayoralty term came the presidential contest of 1888 and, having been chosen presi-
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dent of the state league of democratic clubs, Mr. Thacher conceived the original idea of making a canal-boat canvass from one end of the state to the other. The canal boat Thomas Jefferson was fitted up and speakers of national renown accompanied the boat from Buffalo to Albany. The enthusiasm aroused by this unusual means of campaigning was very great, but the candidates of the party for national elec- tion were defeated. Had there remained two weeks more of the campaign it is believed the result would have been different. Immediately after the election, in accordance with a long-cherished plan and to afford a needed rest, Mr. Thacher and his wife went to the far east and spent the winter in Turkey and Egypt.
Mr. Thacher has been called a man of hobbies. He de- votes most of his spare time to the collection of fifteenth century printed books and the gathering of autographs. This last is not to be confounded with the ordinary collect- ing of persons' signatures in albums. Mr. Thacher's col- lection covers the principal personages of the world for the last four hundred years, and is probably the most important in America. He has the largest known collection of fif- teenth century printing, illustrating the different presses. To collect these as a pastime and to his manufacturing in- terests as a business, Mr. Thacher gives all his time. He married in 1872 Miss Emma Treadwell, and the charms and comforts of his home are recognized by all its visitors.
FREDERICK TOWNSEND.
MONG those who have taken a prominent part in the development of the military affairs of our state, and have also been conspicuous for gallantry in the war for the Union, is_General Frederick Townsend, of Albany, where he was born on the 21st of September, 1825.
He comes from a line of ancestors noted for their inde- pendence of character, high moral principles and true de- votion to the cause of liberty. He is a son of Isaiah Town- send, a prominent and wealthy merchant of this city, who married his cousin, Hannah Townsend, of New York, and died at his residence in Albany in 1838, at the age of sixty- one. The general's grandfather, on his father's side, was Henry Townsend, of Cornwall, N. Y., who married Mary Bennet and died in 1815. The original ancestor of this branch of the Townsend family in America was old Henry Townsend, who was married to Annie Coles, and with his two brothers, John and Richard, came from Norfolk, Eng., to Massachusetts about the year 1640. They did not re- main long in the old bay state, but set out through the pri- meval forests for the shores of Long Island, where they first located at Flushing, of which place they were among the original settlers. The patent was granted to John Town- send and others by Gov. Kieft, in 1645.
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On account of political and religious difficulties with the old Dutch governor, Peter Stuyvesant, the pioneer Town- sends did not find it altogether pleasant living at Flushing. In consequence, of the invasion of their rights in matters of a political and ecclesiastical nature they removed to Warwick, R. I., where they all became members of the provincial as- sembly and held, besides, municipal office. In 1656 they once more attempted to settle on Long Island, and during that year obtained, with others, the patent of Rustdorp, now Jamaica. But their liberty of conscience was not long to remain undisturbed. In the following year Henry, who seemed to have been the leading spirit among his brothers, was arrested, imprisoned and fined " one hundred pounds Flanders " for harboring Quakers in his house - so high did the spirit of persecution rage in those days against the de- nomination of Friends. This unjust treatment was too much for the resolute old Henry Townsend and his brothers to bear patiently, and the very next year we find them re- moving to Oyster Bay, L. I., which was then out of the jur- isdiction of the Dutch hierarchy at New Amsterdam. Here Henry passed the remainder of his days, dying in 1695. The brothers Townsend were possessed of many sterling and heroic qualities, and were not afraid to do or to attempt to do what they deemed to be right. They manifested strong affection for each other, always clinging together amidst the storms and sunshine of their lives " like a three fold cord," which is not easily broken. The descendants of these brothers were notable men, many of them elected repeatedly to offices of high trust and responsibility. The General's great-great-great grandfather on his mother's side, James Townsend, was deputy surveyor general of the province. His great-grandfather, Samuel Townsend, " was actively engaged
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in the English and West India trade, which he successfully prosecuted until the revolution, when, besides the unavoid- able obstructions to business occasioned by the war, he, be- ing a whig, was subjected to many annoyances and interrup- tions from the British after they obtained possession of Oyster Bay. Before that time he was a member of the pro- vincial congress, and at the close of the war resumed his seat and continued in public life until his death - 1790. He was also a state senator and a member of the first council of ap- pointment under the constitution in 1789. While a mem- ber of the Fourth provincial congress (1776) he and thirteen others were appointed a committee "to prepare a form of government for the state." The committee reported March 12, 1777, which report was discussed until April 20th follow- ing, when the first constitution of the state of New York was adopted. The general's grandfather, Solomon Town- send of New York, conducted a large iron business in that city, having extensive iron works at Chester, Orange county, and at Peconic river, Suffolk county. He frequently repre- sented New York in the state legislature, and was a member thereof at the time of his death in 1811.
As soon as he was old enough Frederick Townsend, the subject of this sketch, was sent to a private infant school in this city, and afterward he attended the Boys' academy here. His sprightly air, active temperament, and social dis- position, made him popular among the young students, and the several terms of his academical life, excepting the two years he was at Bartlett's Collegiate school, Poughkeepsie, were both pleasantly and profitably spent in his native city. All this time he was rapidly preparing himself for a collegi- ate course, and at the early age of fifteen he entered Union college, at Schenectady, where, during four years he carried
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on his regular studies, standing well in his classes, and earn- ing moreover the reputation of being a first-class, genial companion, among the college students. Graduating from old Union in 1844, at the age of nineteen, he soon after- ward turned his attention to the study of the law. He be- came a student in the law office of Messrs. John V. L. Pruyn (subsequently chancellor of the university of the state) and the late Henry H. Martin (at the time of whose death president of the Albany Savings bank). He was admitted to the bar in 1849, at the general term of the supreme court in Albany.
With a view to enlarging his knowledge of the world and human nature, by study and observation, General Town- send, about this time, set out on quite an extensive line of travel, going to California when the gold fever there was just beginning to rage, and thence subsequently crossing the Atlantic and visiting the principal places of interest in litera- ture, history and art. His keen perception and high appre- ciation of the beauties of nature and art, and his careful study of society in its various phases rendered his visits both home and foreign most interesting and profitable. Re- turning home with his tastes cultivated and his manners polished he settled down in 1856 in the practice of the law in Albany, the firm being Townsend, Jackson & Strong, in which he continued actively for only a year.
While interested in the general principles and literature of legal science, there was another subject for which he showed a stronger attachment, and that was military science. For this he always had a natural taste, and consequently, was not long in mastering the general details of military tactics. The more he studied this science the better he liked it; and he soon became an excellent authority on
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