USA > New York > Onondaga County > Onondaga's centennial. Gleanings of a century, Vol. II > Part 47
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Colonel Butler took his company to Albany upon one train and Colonel Jenney fol- lowed him upon the next train with his company. Butler had a minimum number of men in his company but Jenney had more than the maximum number and was the first captain in the State of New York who put into barracks a full company of men.
The regimental organization was immediately completed and proceeded to Fort- ress Monroe, becoming a part of the army of Gen. B. F. Butler.
They participated in the first actual battle of the war at Big Bethel, upon June 9, and in that battle, when volunteers were called for emergent service these two cap- tains quickly responded to the call and are favorably mentioned in the official reports for gallant conduct.
After the battle of Bull Run this regiment was ordered to Virginia but was stopped at Baltimore in consequence of apprehension of danger at that place and remained
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at Fort McHenry in garrison duty until October, when, at the suggestion of Gover- nor Morgan, Colonel Jenney came to Syracuse to raise a battery of light artillery. He succeeded in recruiting that battery, the 10th N. Y. Independent Battery, known always afterwards as " Jenney's Battery," though it was afterwards consolidated into the 3d N. Y. Artillery Regiment as Battery F.
Jenney's Battery proceeded to barracks at New York, where it was partially equipped, February 21, 1862, and thence proceeded to Washington, where it was for a time stationed at Fort Corcoran, on Arlington Heights, and thence proceeded with Burnside's expedition to North Carolina. Its service afterwards during the summer of 1862 was inactive, and devoted to drill and discipline, but in the month of December its work began to be far from inactive and from that time on. In December the bat- tery was engaged for three days in important and fiercely fought contests at Kinston, Whitehall and Goldsboro and distinguished itself for gallantry and won merited dis- tinction. In consequence of these well fought battles Colonel Jenney was made major of the regiment immediately afterwards.
Within a few days afterwards his battery was ordered to South Carolina to par- ticipate, under General Hunter, in the attempt which was then being made to capture Charleston. Here his battery was incorporated in the brigade of General Vogdes and Colonel Jenney, then captain, was made chief of artillery and chief of staff- indeed he performed substantially all of the staff duties because yellow fever was prevalent at the time and many of the staff officers had died of that disease or were sick.
In July, 1863, having then received his commission as major, he proceeded to his regimental headquarters at Newbern, N. C., where he was immediately appointed to the office of Judge Advocate by General Butler and shortly afterwards was ap- pointed by the same general to be Provost Judge of the Department of North Carolina.
While filling these offices he was frequently in the field, in the numerous battles in that department, until September, 1864, when the 185th Regiment was organized at Syracuse. Judge Andrews and many other distinguished citizens, constituted the committee which organized that regiment and at their suggestion Governor Seymour commissioned Colonel Jenney to be colonel of that regiment. Upon receiving intelli- gence of this fact he proceeded to Fortress Monroe to advise General Butler of his promotion and was ordered to return to Newbern to turn over his office to a succes- sor. He returned to Newbern by way of the Dismal Swamp canal on a small steamer which was suddenly stopped, near Currituck Sound, by a drawbridge which was shut across the canal by the Confederates. The boat was fired upon by them and of four officers and ten men, then standing upon the deck, ten were killed or wounded as were all of the employees upon the steamer. These four only remained uninjured, excepting a civilian, Senator Juliand, of Chenango county, who was journeying to Newbern upon business. Contest, of course, was useless. Major Jenney and the other survivors were captured. They were marched about forty miles to Elizabeth City where Major Jenney obtained a parole from his captors. Fearing to return by the route whence he had come, he made a wonderful journey, in a small boat, down Elizabeth River into Albemarle Sound and across that Sound . to Roanoke Island. He reported the circumstances of his capture and parole to General Butler and hastened home to take command of his new regiment, being
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assured by General Butler that he would see to it that he was immediately exchanged so that he might safely re-enter the service.
The 185th Regiment was mustered into service September 22, 1864, and at once proceeded to City Point which it reached upon the 30th day of the same month and his regiment was assigned to the First Brigade of the First Division of the Fifth Army Corps. This brigade was commanded by General Chamberlain, afterwards governor of Maine, and was particularly distinguished as the " Fighting Brigade" of the then Army of the Potomac. It participated immediately afterwards in the raid on the Weldon railroad and various skirmishes and it distinguished itself in the great battles which were fought during the winter of 1864 and the spring of 1865.
In early February, 1865, occurred the second battle of Hatcher's Run. Here this brigade was ordered to relieve the whole division of General Ayers, a regular army division Before getting into action, Colonel Sickel, who commanded the brigade, was wounded, and the command devolved upon Colonel Jenney. While he was then, in fact out of service, excepting that, at his request, upon the eve of battle, the offi- cial order was not served upon him, he culminated his war service of nearly four years by the most distinguished service which he had rendered the government. General Ayers with his division had stood upon the ground and had received and given bullets. His division had been utterly cut to pieces. Our brigade came to Ins relief and he retired. When the command devolved upon Colonel Jenney he immediately perceived that with his new troops it was necessary to at once retire or to at once advance. He advanced. The fight was over in a very few moments and with a loss to Colonel Jenny's brigade of a very few men. Major Bush, afterwards speaker of the Assembly, was captured in this encounter. Captain Listman, after- wards overseer of the poor of this city, lost a leg in that battle. Some thirty or forty men were killed, but the work was done quickly and the fight upon that por- tion of the lines was over. It was an unfortunate day for the Union Army and the brigade commanded by Colonel Jenney was the only brigade in the whole army which held its ground.
Before this battle Colonel Jenney had requested the War Department to issue an order declaring his status to be that he was an " escaped". and not a "paroled ". prisoner. He had been made aware by newspapers sent through the picket lines that a reward was offered for his capture as a paroled captive and he desired the pro- tection of the government, by an official order defining his status. Secretary Stan- ton refused to make such order and finally Colonel Jenney demanded from Secretary Stanton that he should have the protection of such order or that he should have an honorable discharge from the service because he had carried poison in his pocket for months to escape being hung in case he should again fall into the hands of the enemy. Secretary Stanton accepted this communication as a resignation and so Colonel Jenney, almost at the end of the war, went out of service, about the middle of February, 1865. His friend, the gallant Sniper, succeeded him in the command of the regiment and not only retained the prestige of the regiment but in the final battle of the war made a distinguished record.
Colonel Jenney returned to Syracuse and immediately resumed his law studies in the office of Hon. William C. Ruger, and was admitted to the bar in September, 1865. Since then he has successfully practiced his profession in Syracuse, having various partners, and acquiring a wide reputation as an able, thorough and reliable
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counsel. He served as City Attorney for four years and in January, 1883, was appointed Quartermaster-General on the Governor's staff but resigned three months later on account of business pressure.
He was a candidate for County Judge when Tilden ran for president, and was nearly elected, running several thousand votes ahead of the electoral ticket. He is now one of the trustees of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Bath, but holds no other political office and aspires to none.
In July, 1863, he married Miss Marie H. Saul, the daughter of George F. Saul who had long been a well known editor of the newspaper published in the German lan- guage, "The Syracuse Union.' She went with him to the Army of North Carolina and was several times under the fire of the Confederates and distinguished herself for her intrepidity. Colonel Jenney has four children, two sons and two daughters. Of these the two sons are lawyers associated with him in business as is his elder daughter. The younger daughter has for several years been studying for the min- istry in the Unitarian Society and will soou begin active work in her vocation. They are at this time of the ages of from twenty-three to thirty years of age and are all earnest in their professional work. They have had the highest education and advantages and, apparently, will not fail to add to the honorable repute of their parents.
JOEL THAYER.
AMONG the many capable financiers of Skaneateles during the past half century, there was probably none whose career was marked with greater success than was that of Joel Thayer. He possessed a level head, a keen judgment of men and affairs, and an unswerving integrity in his business as well as in his social life, that won the confidence and respect of every body with whom he came in contact through life. He was born in Ontario, N. Y., July 18, 1812, and came to Skaneateles in 1835. After receiving his education he spent a short time in business in Palmyra, N. Y., but aside from this he resided in and was identified with Skaneateles. His business was not all confined to Skaneateles either, for he was for many years actively con- nected with manufacturing industries in Syracuse. When Mr. Thayer first settled in Skaneateles he was engaged with Mr. John Legg in the manufacture of wagons and carriages. At the time he possessed a very moderate amount of what could be called a fortune, but he had within him the elements that later in life brought it in a bountiful degree. At his death he left a handsome fortune to his only daughter. The same year he came to Skaneateles, he married Juliette, daughter of John and Emma (Calvin) Legg, one of the oldest and most respected families in Onondaga county. It was doubtless this newly formed relationship that brought him to Skan- eateles and, too, his business connection with Mr. Legg. In this marriage com- panionship both Mr. and Mrs. Thayer rounded out a happy, prosperous life together. She was a noble woman and a lovable wife and mother. Her life was a round of generous, kindly acts, devoted to charity and the strengthening and the upbuilding of everything pertaining to the best interests of the community in which she lived.
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Mrs. Thayer died December 4, 1880, and by her death Skaneateles sustained a loss which has not yet ceased to be felt.
They had three daughters; Mary, the eldest, who was born February 19, 1836, married in 1855, H. T. Webb, a native of Mexico, Oswego county, N. Y. He is a man of wealth and has through his business life been actively engaged in enter- prises in Skaneateles, Syracuse and New York city. They have two daughters, Mary Thayer and Eva Thayer, who reside with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Webb have residences both in Skaneateles and New York city, living in the former in summers and the latter during the winter months. Their summer residence is the old homestead of Mr. Legg and Mr. Thayer, which is now in the hands of the fourth generation. Narcissa Augusta and Emma Augusta were the other daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Joel Thayer. These daughters both died in early childhood.
Mr. Thayer early became interested in banking in Skaneateles and later in Syra- cuse. He organized the Bank of Skaneateles and was for twelve years its president, carrying that institution through the experimental period on to a substantial, pros- perous basis. He was also vice-president of the old Mechanics' Bank in Syracuse. He conducted a large flouring mill at Skaneateles, and was the prime mover and promoter of the Skaneateles Railroad, serving several years as its president. About this time he became a large stockholder in the Sweet & Barnes Co., afterwards the Whitman & Barnes Manufacturing Co., of Syracuse, and most ably filled the posi- tion of director of that company till his death, at which time he was president of the State Bank. He died in Skaneateles on May 19, 1881, regretted by his large number of business associates and sincerely mourned by a wide circle of friends and ac- quaintances.
FAMILY SKETCHES.
FAMILY SKETCHES.
Allis, Augustus G. S., Syracuse, born in Cazenovia, N. Y., Jan. 5, 1831, was grad- uated from the State Normal School at Albany in 1851. He also attended Cazenovia Seminary and Union College for a time, studied law with Judge Jerome Fuller. of Monroe Co., and was admitted to the bar at Rochester in Dec., 1857. He began the practice of law in Brockport, N. Y., where he held the office of police justice, and while there was importuned to go to Joliet, Ill., and take charge of the high school of that place. Mr. Allis had previously taught several terms, and up to this time was recognized as an educator of rare ability, but his subsequent career as a teacher placed him in the front rank of educational promoters. Unsought and wholly un- expected offers came to him to take charge of leading institutions, but a natural love for legal practice combined with domestic afflictions impelled him to decline what otherwise might have proven excellent opportunities. He thoroughly prepared him- self for this calling, and at one time could command almost any position of an educa- tional character. He held the first successful teachers' institute ever held in Roch- ester, and also held several throughout the State. Remaining in Joliet two years, he removed to Syracuse, whither his parents had preceded him, and opened a law office in the First ward. He served as chairman of the War Committee during the Rebel- lion, and as justice of the peace one term. He was member of assembly in 1868, and assistant United States assessor of this district about six years. Since 1860 he has practiced law in Syracuse almost continuously. Nov. 14, 1855, he married Caroline P. Barnett, of Brockport, N. Y., who died July 1, 1857. For his second wife he mar- ried, Oct. 1, 1861, Harriet N. Little, of Joliet, Ill., and of their nine children, seven are living: Carrie L. (for several years a teacher); Mary 1)., a graduate of Syracuse University and a teacher in Syracuse High School; Edward S., a graduate of Syra- cuse University, and now a resident of Chicago; Katherine B., a student in the same university ; Luella V., a graduate of the State Normal School, at Brockport, N. Y. ; Helen E., and Willlam E.
At the very outset of Mr. Allis's career in the Legislature he made an admirable hit in defeating the resolution of O'Reily, of New York, to remove the immortal words of Lincoln. "I have the most solemn oath registered in Heaven to preserve, protect and defend the Government," from the walls of the Assembly Chamber, and that the words of Jackson be placed in lieu thereof, viz .: "By the Eternal, the Union must and shall be preserved." Mr. Allis offered the following as a substitute:
" Whereas, Andrew Jackson in no wise represents the modern Democracy, and the resolution offered by the gentleman from New York is but another thrust at the lamented Lincoln :
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ONONDAGA'S CENTENNIAL.
"Resolved, That in sympathy with the Democratic members of the House, and in view of their compunctions of conscience at sight of the name of the great martyr, or at the perusal of any of his noble and patriotic utterances, whenever the sentiment over the speaker's chair be removed, the following words, spoken by a representative of the Democratic party, and in the spirit of the resolution under consideration, be placed in its stead, to-wit: 'Sic semper tyrannis .- J. Wilkes Booth.'"
The Speaker, a Democrat, decided the motion out of order, as not germain to the matter before the House. Mr. Allis kept the floor and insisted upon the considera- tion of his substitute, when the original resolution was withdrawn by the mover. The words of Lincoln remained during the entire session.
Among the numerous letters of congratulation from his constituents and others, Mr. Allis prizes highly the following appreciative words of the Hon. Andrew D. White, president of Cornell University:
"SYRACUSE, Jan. 16, 1868.
"My dear Sir:
"I regret that I was detained from my room the last day of my stay in Albany so as to be unable to meet you.
"I have just read your capital hit at O'Reily, and have read it aloud to an assem- blage at the Bank of Syracuse, and we all agree that it is the best thing we have heard in many a day.
"It was a capital shot, and the resolution could not have been more admirably worded. Most truly yours, A. D. WHITE. "Hon. A. G. S. ALLIS."
Mr. Allis distinguished himself in the Assembly by many able speeches, and espe- cially by his eloquent defense of Secretary Stanton, who was attacked by the Demo- crats on account of his zealous prosecution of the war. He was courteous to all, and by his industry, perseverance and popoularity was enabled to carry through all of his own important measures, and to assist others in doing the same. He was a member of several important committees, and discharged all of his public duties with ability, fidelity and honor.
Allen, Henry C., Syracuse, city engineer, was born in Newark, N. J., Sept. 10, 1864, where he received his preliminary education. He was graduated from the Syracuse High School in 1882, having become a resident of this city in 1878, and from 1882 until 1886 served with H. Wadsworth Clarke, C. E., on the survey and re- adjustment of the boundary lines between New York State and Pennsylvania. Fin- ishing that he entered the office of W. H. H. Gere, as assistant city engineer, which he resigned in 1887 to accept an appointment on a portion of the Croton Aqueduct near New York city, where he was three times promoted, being one year assistant engineer. In 1890 he resigned to accept the post of deputy city engineer in Syracuse under his old preceptor, H. W. Clarke, and upon the latter's resignation was ap- pointed city engineer by Mayor Cowie, to which office he has been four times reap- pointed. He was for some time junior member of the firm of Mather & Allen, civil engineers, whose business he succeeded to in April, 1895. The business is now con- ducted under the firm name of Allen, Farrington & Co. Dec. 28, 1887, he married Miss Lola, daughter of Morat M. Bayette, of Syracuse, and has one child, Eloise W. Mr. Allen's father, Albert Allen, is the present superintendent of the Elmira, Cort- land and Northern Railroad, and resides at Cortland, N. Y.
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FAMILY SKETCHES.
Andrews, Robert W., Syracuse, is a son of Rev. R. K. Andrews, an M. P. clergy- man, and was born in Alton, Wayne Co., in Oct. 1852, and waseducated in the union school.at Pulaski, N. Y. He was engaged in mercantile business in Jefferson Co. for several years, and in 1880 came to Syracuse, but one year later removed to Pitts- burg, Pa., as superintendent of the Prudential Insurance Co. of Newark, N. J. Three years afterwards he returned to Syracuse and engaged in the real estate business, and subsequently became one of the incorporators and for twenty-two months was the assistant manager of the Eastern Building and Loan Association. In 1892 he was one of the incorporators, a director, and the general manager of the Cosmopoli- tan Building and Loan Association, and in March, 1895, was elected its secretary. He was one of the incorporators and a director of the Commercial Publishing Com- pany of Syracuse, and is a member of the I. O. O. F., and of Syracuse Lodge, No. 501, F. & A. M. Prior to coming to this city he was for three years the butter buyer for Martin Brothers, of New York. Jan 1, 1873, he married Miss May, daughter of Charles F. Plummer, of Clay, Onondaga Co., and they have two children, Lulu M. and Charles W.
Aldridge, Edmund H., Syracuse, was born in England in Sept., 1845, and came with his parents to America in 1849. In March, 1854, the family settled in Syracuse, where the father, Henry Aldridge, a boiler maker by trade, died April 22, 1885, aged sixty years; the death of his wife, Mary Ann, occurred in Jan., 1884. He learned the boiler maker's trade in the New York Central Railroad shops, where he worked for twenty-two years. In June, 1882, he became foreman of the boiler department in the D., L. & W. shops, which position he has since held. In March, 1864, he enlisted in Co. D, 51st New York Regiment State Militia, Davis Light Guards, and served eight years being sergeant during that entire period. In Dec., 1868, he married Mary C., daughter of Charles C. Colebrook, of Amsterdam, N. Y., now a resident of Syracuse, and their children are Frances A., Maud C., and two sons deceased.
Blumer, William E., Syracuse, a native of that place, was born July 21, 1861. His father, Gabriel Blumer, a native of Switzerland, came to America in 1832, settling in this city, where he died in 1883, aged seventy-four years, eleven months, his widow and eight children surviving him. He was a building contractor, and lost his hearing in the great powder explosion of 1841, being carried away in a supposed fatally wounded condition. His family still occupies his original homestead in Mulberry street, which he built in 1836. William E. Blumer was educated in the public and high schools of this city. He was interested in the foundry business for a time, after which he was bookkeeper and salesman for eight years for Hawkins & Goodrich, fur manufacturers and dealers. In 1891 he took Mr. Goodrich's place, the latter having retired in 1890, and the firm became Hawkins & Blumer. This is one of the most extensive establishments of the kind in Central New York, and few firms are better known, their trade extending over a wide territory, it really being the only one in the State which deals extensively in furs for the retail trade.
Blumer, Edward G., Syracuse, son of Gabriel, a native of Switzerland, was born in the house in which he has always resided, on the corner of Mulberry and Harrison streets, Syracuse, Oct. 8, 1848. Gabriel Blumer came to America in the year 1832, and died here Dec. 24, 1883, leaving a widow and the following children: Catherine,
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ONONDAGA'S CENTENNIAL.
Mary E. (Mrs. M. V. Campbell), Anna L. (Mrs. William Harper), John P., George M., Edward G., Charles H., and William E. At the age of sixteen Edward G. began learning the trade of carpenter and joiner, which he has ever since followed, being now engaged in contracting and building.
Brill, George M., Syracuse, son of Thomas and Mary J. (Hurd) Brill, was born in Poughquag, Dutchess Co., N. Y. He obtained his preparatory education at the Wil- braham (Mass.) Academy, after which he was for a time in the registered letter de- partment of the New York city post-office. In the fall of 1887 he entered Cornell University, from which he was graduated in the mechanical engineeing course in 1891, receiving an election to Sigma Xi, the highest honor conferred by that institution at the time of graduating. The same summer he was elected a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Directly after graduation he came to Syracuse as draftsman in the engineering department of the Solvay Process Co .; from this posi- tion he has received promotions until he now has charge of the Testing Department. In the fall of 1891 he assumed charge of the Syracuse evening drawing schools, under the direction of the Board of Education, and continued them for three winters. Mr. Brill is also a member of the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education. On June 1, 1892, he married Achsa A. Quick, of Slaterville Springs, Tompkins Co .; they have two children, Elliott M. and Merideth.
Brownell, Wm. N. A., Syracuse, son of Benj. J. and Amanda M., was born Aug. 10, 1849, in the city of Syracuse, N. Y., where he has always resided. His father was engaged in the fruit business and later in a grocery conducted by his son, Oscar L. Benj. J. died Nov. 22, 1885, aged seventy-eight, at McGrawville, Cortland Co., N. Y. Amanda M. is living, aged eighty-one. Wm. N. A. received his education in the public schools of Syracuse. Leaving school at the age of fourteen, he entered the insurance office of Broughton & Babcock as clerk, where he remained about six months and then was employed as discount clerk in the Mechanics' Bank of Syracuse for four years; at that time he returned to the employ of Broughton & Babcock as head clerk and remained with them until the dissolution of the firm in 1881. He con- tinued in the insurance business with John N. Babcock, one of said firm, and in the spring of 1894 was admitted as his partner, the firm being Babcock & Brownell. In the fall of 1894 Mr. Babcock died suddenly and Mr. Brownell continued the business of insurance alone. In 1876 he married Margery D., daughter of Amos H. Thomas, of Delevan, Wis., and later of Syracuse. They have one son, Roy.
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