USA > New York > The men of New York: a collection of biographies and portraits of citizens of the Empire state prominent in business, professional, social, and political life during the last decade of the nineteenth century, Vol. I > Part 39
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PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY - Simon Seibert was born at Buffalo Set- tember 12, 1857 ; was educated in public schools and Bryant & Stratton's Business College ; was in business, 1878-89 : was United States gauger, 1880-933 ; was elected member of assembly in 18933 and 1894, and state senator in 1895; has been connected with the Magnus Beck Brewing Co., Buffalo, since 189.3.
Albert 3. Sigman was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, somewhat more than forty years ago. His early education was obtained in the public schools of his native town of Cattarangus, and he also received the benefit of a classical course at Chamberlain Institute, Randolph, N. Y. Beyond that his scholastic training did not go. After leav- ing Chamberlain Institute, however, Mr. Sigman devoted considerable time to teaching, and he re- gards this experience as constituting not the least valuable part of his education. He taught ten terms altogether, beginning the occupation when he was only seventeen years of age. At first his field of labor was in the district schools of Cattaraugus coun- ty, but his success was such that he was soon placed in charge of more important work, and he finally became principal of a large school at Otto.
ALBERT J. SIGM. IN
As Walter Scott deemed journalism an excellent cane but a poor crutch, so Mr. Sigman looked upon country teaching as good enough for a makeshift but not suitable for a permanent calling. All through
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his career as a teacher he was devoting his days and nights, so far as he could, to the study of law. He was registered at an office, and doubtless derived some benefit from his experience there; but his legal education was acquired almost entirely by himself, without the aid of school or preceptor. Knowledge won in that way is often hard to get ; but it sticks when once acquired. Mr. Sigman, at all events, found the self-instructing method of reading law highly effective, and he had no difficulty in passing the bar examination in Buffalo in June, 1877.
Opening an office in that city January 1, 1878, Mr. Sigman has since practiced his profession there. He has traveled extensively in Europe and in this country, but his main interests have been in Buffalo, and his professional work has been done in western New York. If repeated victories in contested cases may be made the basis of judgment, he must be regarded as a lawyer of marked ability and success. He has carried on his work from the beginning with- out associates. IIe has not specialized his field, but conducts a general practice, and devotes himself alike to court work and to office consultation. His profession brought him into connection a few years ago with certain real-estate operations of some mag- nitude, and he has since devoted a good deal of profitable time to such interests.
In political matters Mr. Sigman's sympathies were formerly Democratic. He was a charter member of the Cleveland Democracy, and was one of the execu- tive committee that organized the movement. He is a strong protectionist, however, and when Mr. Cleveland came out in favor of a liberalised tariff Mr. Sigman resigned from the Cleveland Democracy, and joined the Buffalo Republican League. He has never been a candidate for public office, though his name has often been mentioned in connection with political nominations. He usually makes speeches, and otherwise takes an active part in campaign work.
Mr. Sigman has been much interested in Free Masonry. He is a Past Master of Hiram Lodge, No. 105, F. & A. M., and a member of the Buffalo Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. He is also Vice Grand of Red Jacket Lodge, No. 23%, 1. O. O. F.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY-Albert Jay Sigman was born at Cattaraugus, N. Y. ; was edu- cated in district schools and Chamberlain Institute, Randolph, N. Y. ; taught school, studied low, and was admitted to the bar at Buffalo in June, 1877; has practiced law in Buffalo since January 1, 1878.
Jonathan L. Slater, prominent at the bar of Buffalo, and widely known in connection with church affairs, was born somewhat less than forty
years ago on a farm in Chautauqua county. He started in life with the latent advantage of excellent descent, his ancestors having come to this country from England in colonial times, and having taken an active part in the revolutionary war. Samuel Slater, who built a cotton mill at Pawtucket, R. I., in 1790, and thus established the cotton industry on this side of the Atlantic, was a member of the fam- ily ; and Hosea Ballou, the eminent Universalist clergyman, belonged to another branch.
Mr. Slater's earliest instruction was obtained from his maternal great grandmother, who was related to John Quincy Adsuns and was a schoolmate of his. Further education was acquired at irregular inter vals, as the exigencies of farm work permitted, in the public schools of his native town and in Ellington Academy. Upon leaving the farm his ambition to obtain at least a part of the higher education induced him to enter Chamberlain Institute, where he paid his way largely by means of tutoring. He graduated from the institute with high standing in 1880,, He then began the study of law in the office of B. F. Congdon, Randolph, and engaged in teach- ing at the same time. These two occupations have constantly been united by young men ambitious to enter the legal domain, and not infrequently with entire success. So it was in the case of Mr. Slater, since he was able, in October, 1883, to pass the bar examinations at Rochester.
Soruc cighteen months before this Mr. Slater had left Cattaraugus county to seek the wider opportuni- ties and greater promise of a large city. In the office of Morey & Inglehart of Buffalo he found favorable conditions for continuing the study of law ; and he remained there several years after his admission to the bar. January 1, 1887, he opened an office on his own account in Buffalo, and has since carried on a successful practice in that city. Mr. Slater's prog. ress in the law has been made quietly, but steadily. He spends much more time in his office than in the court room, and believes in adjusting legal difficulties, whenever possible, without resort to trial. Reason, common sense, and calm discretion are weapons of legal warfare that seem to him not only less expensive than those commonly used, but also much more efficient and generally satisfactory. Court litigation is sometimes inevitable, of confer. but in most cases Mr. Slater finds that he can serve the cause of his client best by consultation, study. and other means of settlement outside the court room. His specialty is domestic corporation work. but his range of practice covers a wide fickl.
The other side of Mr. Slater's life is to be found in his church work and philanthropie pursuits. For
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a long time he has concerned himself with such mat- ters - not passively, with a languid interest limited to the contribution box, but actively and vitally, and in a direct, personal way. He is a member of the Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, and has long been prominent in the beneficent work of that institution. He served on the of- ficial board, and was superintendent of the Sunday school from 1887 to 1890.
'This branch of church work has par- ticularly interested Mr. Slater, and he has devoted a good deal of time and thought to the betterment and perfec- tion of Sunday-school service. He was a delegate from New York state to the World's Sunday School Convention held in London, England, in June, 1889. He was president of the Buffalo Sun- day School Association from December. 1890, to December, 1892. During his administration the work prospered great- ly, and the number of schools repre- sented in the association increased from 67 to 103. A larger organization de- voted to similar ends, and known as the Erie County Sunday School Association, has been effective in promoting Sunday- school work not only in Erie county, its special field of activity, but through- out the state as well. Mr. Slater was elected president of this association in May, 1893, and has carried on its work with vigor and wisdom.
Other forms of church and charitable organization have received the benefit of Mr. Slater's judgment and executive ability. He has interested himself for many years in the work of the Young Men's Christian Association, and served as a director of the Buffalo branch from 1886 to 1888. He was largely instrumental in the forma- tion of the Prison Gate Mission, though perhaps the chief credit for this work should be assigned to Mrs. Slater. There are only two other institutions of this kind in the United States, though they are most deserving, and constitute splendid examples of practical philanthropy. The purpose of the mission is to establish quarters near the penitentiary, and to meet prisoners at the critical moment of their dis- charge ; to invite them into the mission, where food and lodging may be obtained, and labor pro- vided to cover the expense thus incurred ; and after- ward to assist the prisoners to begin life anew under favoring auspices. Mr. Slater is a director of the
Buffalo mission. He gives hearty and intelligent . support to every kind of charitable work and Chris- tian endeavor.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY-Jonathan Lambert Slater was born at Ellington, Chautauqua county, N. Y., March 26, 1857 ; attended public
JONATHAN L. SLATER
schools and Ellington Academy, and graduated from Chamberlain Institute, Randolph, N. Y., in 1880 : taught school and studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1883 ; married Susan A. Jameson of Dublin, Ireland, September 16, 1885 : was president of the Buffalo Sunday School Association, 1890-92, and kas been president of the Erie County Sunday School Asso- ciation since 1853 ; has practiced law in Buffalo since 1883.
Charles D. Stickney comes of pure English stock. Two hundred years ago, when the popula- tion of New England was made up almost entirely of Dissenters from the eastern counties of England, his ancestors emigrated to Massachusetts from the town
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of Stickney, near Liverpool. The first great Puritan exodus, which ceased half a century before, had brought to this country a people of unswerving re- ligious standard. As Stoughton, the governor of Massachusetts, said, " God sifted a whole nation that He might send choice grain over into this wilder-
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CHARLES D. STICKNEY
ness." It was among such that the Stickney family was planted. How this " choice grain " flourished, in spite of harsh climate and niggardly soil, one may see from the early records of New England. Thrifty towns and enduring commonwealths sprang up, pub- lic education was provided for, and the principles of popular government were successfully put in practice. In commerce, domestic trade, and manufactures New England soon surpassed all the other colonies. It was gathering wealth, numbers, and fortitude for the second great sifting of the Revolution. Meanwhile the fair pasturage lands that dot the rocky surface of Vermont attracted the descendants of the Stickney emigrants, and there they made their home until the early years of this century.
When the Erie canal was opened many new settlers went to western New York. Among them was our Vermont family, and Erie county became and is still their abiding place. The population of the New England colonies was then homogeneous in the extreme, but that of New York was noted for its heterogeneous character. The Dutch and English element predominated, but there were many French Huguenots, Germans, Swedes, Finns, Welsh, and Jews. The names of many of the towns bear permanent witness to the nationality of the people who chris- tened them. The little village of Hol- land was doubtless so called by some homesick Netherlander, who hoped to prove that there was more in a name than the popular quotation admits. It was in this village that Charles Stickney was born, early in the second half of the century.
The district school furnished his rudi- mentary education, and he then com- pleted the course offered at Ten Broeck Academy. Deciding to make the law his profession, he undertook the study in the office of Judge Spring of Franklin- ville. Going to Buffalo in 1879, he continued his studies with Judge Corlett and Judge Hatch, and was admitted to practice in the New York Supreme Court at Rochester in 1882, and in the United States Court three years later. He opened a law office in Buffalo at once, and has been in active practice there ever since. During almost the entire period he has practiced alone, but re- cently he formed a partnership with Major E. O. Farrar.
In addition to his office duties Mr. Stickney has given a term of service as clerk of the board of supervisors of Erie county, and is at present attor- ney for the state of New York in the transfer-tax department. His active participation in politics began with the first Harrison campaign. A member of both state and national Republican leagues, he has spoken in every town and ward in Erie county, as well as in many other places in the state. In the second Harrison campaign, as the official organ- izer for Erie county, he formed over fifty Repub- lican clubs.
Mr. Stickney attends the Lafayette Avenue Pres- byterian Church, and belongs to the Masonic frater- nity and other similar organizations.
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PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY- Charles D. Stickney was born at Holland, N. Y., August 9, 1857 ; was educated at Ten Broeck Academy, Franklinville, N. Y .; was admitted to the bar at Rochester in 1882 ; married Ida M. West of West Valley, N. Y., April 30, 1882 ; was clerk of the board of supervisors of Erie county in 1888 ; has been attor- ney for New York state in the transfer-tax department since 1894 ; has practiced law in Buffalo since 1882.
Jared byde Tilden was born in Franklin, Conn., somewhat less than seventy years ago. He moved to the Empire State in boyhood, traversing Long Island sound in a sloop, and proceeding to Buffalo via the Hudson river and Erie canal. Reach - ing Buffalo in September, 1837, he attended the public schools of the city, and later a private school, until he was nineteen years old. After working for a short time in the office of his father, Thomas B. Tilden, a promi- nent builder of Buffalo, Jared decided to study medicine and lead a professional life. With this end in view he went to Cincinnati, and attended the Eclectic Medical Institute until June, 1850, when he received the degree of M. D.
After practicing his profession during the summer of 1850 in Westfield, N. Y., with Dr. Alvin Shattuck, he passed the winter of 1850-51 at the Central Medi- cal College, Rochester, as demonstrator of anatomy. He then spent several months visiting the hospitals in New York city, and attending clinics in Cin- cinnati. In May, 1851, at Pittsburg, Penn., he was elected vice president of the National Eclectic Medical Associa- tion. Taking up his residence again in Buffalo in the fall of 1851, Dr. Tilden renewed his connection with Alvin Shat- tuck in the practice of medicine. Dr. . Shattuck withdrew from the partnership after about a year, and Dr. Tilden prac- ticed alone thereafter. In June, 1854, he was commissioned surgeon's mate of the 74th regiment, N. G., S. N. Y., and for the next ten years he was actively interested in the affairs of the National Guard. He was also a prominent mem- ber for thirty years of company D, Buf- falo City Guards.
People have long ceased to think of Mr. Tilden as a practicing physician. He followed his profes- sion in Buffalo, however, for several years, or until
the fall of 1859, when he formed a partnership in the building business with his father. The two conducted their operations with marked success until 1869, when Thomas B. Tilden died. Since that time Jared H. Tilden has carried on the busi- ness alone. He has long been one of the foremost contractors of western New York, and a transcript from his books would convey a fair idea of Buffalo building operations during the last forty years. Mr. Tilden's pay roll has averaged for many years not far from $50,000 annually. He has built many of the finest structures in Buffalo, including the Palace hotel (destroyed by fire ), First Presbyterian Church, Delaware Avenue Baptist Church, Star Theatre build- ing, Union Central Life building, the Red Jacket flats, the north wing of the Sisters of Charity Hospi- tal, and a section of the new Buffalo General Hospi-
JARED HYDE TILDEN
tal. He has also built many of the notable dwellings of Buffalo. With the exception of three years, he was secretary of the Builders' Exchange, 1869-89 ; and he is still an active member of that organization.
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Having lived in Buffalo the greater part of the last sixty years, Mr. Tilden knows the city thoroughly, and is identified with many of its social institutions. Like other prominent Buffalonians in earlier times, when the volunteer fire companies took the place of latter-day clubs, Mr. Tilden entered the fire depart-
FREDERICK A. VOGT
ment, "running " with Washington engine, No. 5, from 18446 to 1854. He is a life member of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, and of the Buffalo Library. For twenty years or more he has belonged to the Buffalo Historical Society. He was one of the original members of the Oakfield Club, a family association on Grand island, and has been on the board of directors for many years. He has attended the Central Presbyterian Church for forty years, and has been a trustee of the same for twenty years.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY- Jared Hyde Tilden was born at Franklin, Conn., April 30, 1828 ; moved to Buffalo in 1837, and attended public and private schools there ; studied medicine in Cincinnati, and took the degree of M. D. in 1850 ; married Caro-
line Elizabeth Hedge of Buffalo October 3, 1855 ; practiced medicine in Buffalo, 1851-59 ; has conducted a building business in Buffalo since 1859.
ffrederick E. Dogt has been a teacher for nearly half his life, and a student from the time he became oid enough to study at all. The story of his career has two sides, one recording continuous study and self- development, and the other showing continuous success in his profession as a teacher. Though still a young man, he has won his way in the face of serions obstacles to a position in the foremost rank of Buffalo educators.
Mr. Vogt's life has all been spent in Buffalo. He was born there, of Alsatian parentage, and began his education in the Buffalo public schools at the age of six. At twenty-one he graduated from the high school with honors, receiving the Jesse Ketchum gold medal for high standing in the studies of the graduation year. He had taken a classical course, in the expectation of going to college, but his father died during the senior year, and he had to set about earning his own living.
In the September following his grad- uation from the high school, Mr. Vogt became principal of Public School No. 9, which was then opened as a new school. Two years later he was pro- moted to the principalship of school No. 26. There he remained for nine years. Then he became professor of English history and literature in the high school. His stay in this position was short ; for a few months later Henry P. Emerson, principal of the high school, was elected superin- tendent of schools, and as one of his first acts in the new office appointed Mr. Vogt to his earlier position. Thus in less than a dozen years Mr. Vogt advanced from the rank of a graduate of the high school to the principalship of the institution.
Mr. Vogt has proved himself a very successful teacher and an excellent administrator. A feature of his work in the Buffalo. High School is the variety of broadening influences that he has found it possible to add to the ordinary school routine. The silent educative influences that come from daily contact with fine specimens of art have received particular attention. Casts from antique sculptures are scattered throughout the building in profusion :
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and in the chapel there is an excellent collection of pictures by Buffalo artists, lent to the school at the instance of Mr. Vogt by the artists themselves. The stimulus springing from contact with superior minds is also utilized. Many a distinguished visitor to Buffalo is prevailed upon to address the scholars, and the Wednesday-morning talks in chapel form one of the most interesting and valuable features of school life.
Along with his work in the schools, Mr. Vogt has found time to do outside a great deal of what is practically university-extension work. He be- lieves in disseminating the benefits and pleasures of knowledge as widely as possible. In particular, he has delivered many lectures on the natural sciences, a department of study in which he is especially interested ; and certain free courses of lectures by him on geology and botany before the Field Club were exceedingly popular and drew large audiences. He was, indeed, one of the founders of this branch of Field Club work.
All this represents but one side of Mr. Vogt's life. There is another side, as was said at the beginning - his work as a student. All the time that he has been so busy as an instructor, he has been patiently and steadily carrying on his own studies, in Hebrew, the classics, natural science, and the higher mathe- matics, aiming to secure by self-help the practical results of the university course originally planned.
Mr. Vogt is a member of a number of societies, social, scientific, and literary. Among them are the Liberal Club, the Field Club, the Saturn Club, the Buffalo Orpheus, and the Pundit Club.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY- Frederick Augustus Vogt was born at Buffalo March 24, 1860: was educated in the Buffalo public schools, graduating from the high school in 1881; was ap- pointed principal of Public School No. 9 in September, 1881, principal of school No. 26 in 1883, and professor of English history and literature in the Buffalo High School in March, 1892 ; has been princi- pal of the high school since January, 189.3.
Ellis Tlebster has lived a long and busy life, and his home has been in Buffalo ever since he reached manhood's estate. Nothing more vividly calls to mind the marvelous growth of that city and
of the surrounding country than a consideration of the changes that have taken place within the experi- ence of a man still in active life. When Mr. Web- ster was born, in the town of Eden, Erie county had been in existence but two years, having been formed from Niagara county in 1821. The new county contained only ten post offices and thirteen towns. It was just emerging from a pioneer settle- ment into a farming community, and comfortable frame houses had begun to take the place of the log cabins of the first settlers.
Among these early pioneers had been four brothers, sons of Hugh Webster, who moved to what is now the village of Eden Valley, then called Tubbs' Hollow, in 1813, the year after the for- mation of the town of Eden. One of these brothers was Edward Webster, the father of the subject of
ELLIS WEBSTER
our sketch. Ellis Webster attended the primitive district school of those early days, and lived the healthful, hardy life of a country boy. But he was ambitious to achieve greater success than the limited
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opportunities of a rural community could offer, and a few months before attaining his majority he went to Buffalo.
This was in 1844, the year of the " great flood " in Buffalo, and the financial conditions of the city were most favorable for the young man's success. For several years previous to 1840 the population there had barely held its own ; the greatest depres- sion prevailed in business circles, and house after house went down in the general panic. The city recovered slowly from the crash, but by 1845 it had regained a healthy financial condition, and from that time increased rapidly in both population and com- mercial prosperity.
Mr. Webster had been in the city but three years when he began business on his own account as a member of the firm of D. R. Hamlin & Co., con- ducting a grocery and produce business on Seneca street. Mr. Hamlin furnished most of the capital, but shared the profits equally with his young associ- ate. For over twenty years Mr. Webster carried on the business, in association with George W. Scott for five years.
In 1868 Mr. Webster embarked in the coal trade. and in 1875 extended his business to include the ite industry, thus connecting his name with the branches of trade in which he has ever since been engaged. In 1875 his son, E. H. Webster, was taken into partnership, and the firm name became E. Webster & Son. In 1886 William Germann was admitted to a share in the business, and the present style of E. Webster, Son & Co. was adopted. Mr. Webster has devoted his energies unremittingly to the business, and it has grown and prospered steadily until it is to-day one of the largest of its kind in Buffalo.
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