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 46
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Twelve years' service in the National Guard must also be recorded in any account of Mr. Campbell's life that aims at completeness. He enlisted as a private in company B, 74th regiment, in May, 1868, received promotions in due course, and on the organization of company E was made first lieutenant of that company. In September, 1876, he became commander of the company, and retained this position until his resignation from the Guard in May, 1880.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY -- James Arthur Campbell was born at Niagara Falls, Ont., July 24, 1852; was educated in Buffalo public schools and Bryant & Stratton's Business College ; was a clerk in insurance offices, 1868-76 ; married Emeline A. Short of Buffalo September 17, 1888 ; was president of the Irish-American Savings and Loan Association, 1884-94 ; has conducted a general insurance agency in Buffalo since 1876.
Moses Ul. Dake has been identified, ever since he went to Buffalo fourteen years ago, with the bakery business. His earlier career as a hard- ware merchant in a country town seems quite dis- tinct from this, but the experience thus acquired doubtless made possible the success that has attended the later undertaking.
Mr. Dake was born in Livingston county, New York, fifty-six years ago. His father was a fariner in the beautiful Genesee valley : and the boy's edu- cation consisted of a little book learning, obtained
at the district school of his native town of Portage. and a large amount of practical experience gained on the farm. Not altogether content with the results of this curriculum, he spent a short time at Nunda Academy in his twentieth year ; but an ex- tended course there seemed impracticable, and he soon returned home, and devoted himself for several years to farming.
In December, 1864, he began mercantile life as a clerk in a hardware store in Albion, N. Y., remain. ing there somewhat more than three years, and learning the business thoroughly in all its details. Commercial life was more attractive to him than farming had been, and he determined to engage in business on his own account. He returned to Nunda, therefore, and established with his father the firm of J. M. Dake & Son, hardware merchants. The father furnished most of the capital, but the son had the entire management of affairs, and was practically the head of the concern. Mr. Dake carried on this business for ten years or more, and built up a good country trade in that part of Livingston county. In March, 1879, he sold his interest to a younger brother, and the business is still conducted under the old firm name of J. M. Dake & Son.
For the next few years Mr. Dake was variously occupied in settling up his affairs at Nunda, and in operations in the oil country : but in January, 1883. he moved to Buffalo, and bought an interest in the Niagara Baking Co. there. In this new line of activity he was successful from the first, and the rapid growth of the business furnishes abundant evidence of his fitness for the management of large interests. When he became connected with the establishment it employed about twenty-five men, and was comparatively a local concern : the plant now employs 125 hands, and its product is sold in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
In 1890 the United States Baking Co. was organ- ized for the purpose of absorbing into a single cor- poration numerous baking plants in the central and eastern part of the country, thus unifying their policies, perfecting their methods of doing business. and preventing disastrous competition. The com- pany has been highly successful, and has grown to be one of the largest concerns of its kind in the world. Mr. Dake was a prime mover in this con- solidation of interests : and in October, 1890, he merged his business into the United States Baking Co. under the special name of the Niagara Bakery Branch. He has been one of the directors of the corporation since this time, and was assistant gen- eral manager of the company in 1891. In that year he spent several months in Boston, building a large
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bakery for the United States Baking Co., and getting the plant into smooth running order. Re- turning to Buffalo, he resumed the active oversight of the Niagara Bakery, and has since been so em- ployed. In 1893 he erected for his branch of the business a large four-story building on Michigan street, complete in all its: appointments, and admirably adapted to the needs of the extensive business.
Mr. Dake has always been a stanch Republican, and for many years during his residence in Livingston county took an active part in public affairs, serving on the county committee, and otherwise advancing the interests of his party. He attends the Delaware Avenue Baptist Church, Buffalo.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY - Moses William Dake was born at Port- age, N. Y., March 23, 1841 ; was edu- cated at district schools and Nunda Acad- emy ; was clerk in a hardware store at Albion, N. Y., 1864-68 ; married Har- riet T. Hallenbake of Albion December 24, 1867 ; engaged in the hardware busi- ness at Nunda, 1868-19 ; has carried on the Niagara Baking Co., now known as the Niagara Bakery Branch U. S. Baking Co., Buffalo, since 188.3.
William C. Dambach, unlike many men of the present day, has con- fined himself wholly to one line of activ- ity, and has won success in the same calling in which he first found employ - ment as a boy. The story of such a life contrasts markedly with that of the man who has tried his hand at various occu- pations in the way of trade or manufac- ture. Though the latter may gain something as regards general experience, he unquestionably loses much valuable time in the battle of life.
Mr. Dambach was born in Buffalo just two months from the day Fort Sumter fell into the hands of the Confederates. He was educated in the public schools of his native city, but left school at the age of fourteen, and began to earn his own living. Having obtained a situation with C. M. Lyman, a Buffalo druggist, he was set to work wash- ing bottles, running the soda fountain, and making himself generally useful about the store. After spending a year in this position he entered the drug store of Thurstone & Co., Buffalo, remaining in their service until he attained his majority. He
was then taken into the firm, which assumed the style of George T. Thurstone & Co.
At the expiration of two years Mr. Dambach sold his interest in the drug business, and entered the medical department of Niagara University as a student. He spent one year there, and gained a
MOSES W. D.IKE
practical knowledge of medicine that has since been of great value to him in his business. Having decided that a commercial career was likely to be more congenial than a profession, he abandoned his medical studies, and opened a drug store on Seneca street, Buffalo. This was in 1885, and he continued to do business there for ten years. In the meantime, on January 1, 1892, he established an uptown store on Main street ; and since May 1, 1895, he has confined his business to the latter location.
In addition to his ordinary drug business Mr. Dambach devotes considerable attention to the manufacture of various pharmaceutical preparations. He has recently completed a laboratory admirably
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equipped for this purpose, where he will be able to conduct the manufacturing branch of his business on a larger scale than has hitherto been practicable. Mr. Dambach concentrates his whole energy upon his business, and it is already apparent that this singleness of aim will be rewarded by unusual success.
WILLIAM C. DAAMBACH
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY- William C. Dambach was born at Buffalo June 13, 1861; was educated in the public schools ; served as clerk in a drug store, 1875-82 ; was a member of the drug firm of George I. Thurstone & Co., 1882-84; studied medicine for one year : has conducted a drug business in Buffalo since 1885.
Conrad Diebl, though still in the prime of life, is classed in the popular mind with the older physicians of Buffalo. This comes about from the fact that he has always lived in the city, began the practice of his profession there early in life, and attained public office, and consequent prominence, while yet a young man.
After attending public and private schools in Buffalo, and obtaining thereby an excellent pre- paratory education, Dr. Diehl entered upon his pro- fessional studies in the medical department of the University of Buffalo. During the last two years of his course he held the position of resident physician at the county almshouse. After graduating from the University of Buf- falo with the class of '66 he determined to round out his professional equipment with a course of study in the old world, ـلة سمهـ and with this end in view he went abroad in the summer of that year. Having studied under the best instructors on the continent for a year, he returned to thi, country, and opened an office in Buffalo May 1, 1867, for the general practice of medicine. He has followed his profes. sion in that city continuously since the date mentioned.
Dr. Diehl was well and favorably known in the city of his birth even at this early period of life, and the fact was strikingly evidenced in his nomina- tion for the position of coroner in the fall of 1867. He was elected by an ex- tremely large majority, and filled the office efficiently for a term of three years. He declined a renomination, deeming it best to devote his whole time to private practice and hospital work. In February, 1874, he was appointed attending physician at the General llos- pital, holding that position until the death of Dr. Rochester, when he was appointed consulting physician : he is still serving in the latter capacity. For the last twenty-three years Dr. Diehl has been secretary to the medical staff of the General Hospital. He served as surgeon to the 65th regiment from 1870 to 1878 ; and for six years, beginning in 1871, he was attending surgeon at the Erie-county almshouse. He has been a member of the Buffalo board of school examiners since its organization, and was chairman of the board until February, 1896, when he declined : re-election. He is president of the medical boar.1 of the German Deaconess Society. He is a strong supporter of the movement for civil-service reform. and was a member of the first civil-service commis sion of Buffalo. He belongs to various professional and other societies.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY -- Conrad Dich was born at Buffalo July 17, 1843 ; was educated in
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public and private schools ; graduated from the med- ical department of the University of Buffalo in 1866 ; was coroner of Erie county, 1868-70; married Caroline Trautman of Weissembourg, Alsace, May 5, 1869, and Lois M. Masten of Somerset, Mass., May 28, 1892 ; has been a member of the Buffalo board of school examiners since its organization in 1892 ; has practiced medicine in Buffalo since 1867.
Wesley C. Dudley is so well known in west- ern New York, and has been in the public eye so long, that most people will be surprised to learn that the Civil War antedated his birth by several years. After attending district schools and the Aurora Academy in his native county, Mr. Dudley began his active career at the age of seventeen as a teacher. In this way he procured means to complete his course at Aurora Academy, graduating therefrom in 1888. He then resumed teaching, becoming principal of the Sardinia Union School, and after- ward of the Alden Union School. His success as an educator was such that in 1890 he was nominated by the Repub- lican party for the office of school commissioner of the eight Erie-county "south towns." The county itself on this occasion went Democratic by a plu- rality of 2000, but Mr. Dudley's reputa- tion and personal popularity carried him to victory in the face of general defeat. He seems to have made a specialty of holding important positions and doing remarkable things at an age younger than that of other people similarly cir- cumstanced ; and in this case, for exam- ple, when he became school commis- sioner at the age of twenty-three, he was the youngest man in the state holding that office.
But Mr. Dudley had other ends in view than the attainment of a high posi - tion among educators. Seeing clcarly that his talents would find abundant room for exercise in the legal profession, he declined a renomination to the posi- tion of school commissioner, and en- tered the office of Rogers, Locke & Milburn as a student. The lawyers thus associated constitute one of the strongest legal firms of Buffalo, or even of the state, and in their office Mr. Dudley made rapid progress in the mastery of the law. He was admitted to the bar at Rochester in October, 1894, and began the practice
of his profession at once in Buffalo. For about two years he practiced alone, but on September 1, 1896, he formed a partnership with Milford W. Childs, son of Justice Henry A. Childs, under the firm name of Dudley & Childs. The new firm begins business with all antecedent conditions highly favorable, and substantial success may safely be predicted.
In some quarters Mr. Dudley is better known as a public man than in his professional capacity. We have already noted his early political prominence in the southern part of Erie county. He has retained this personal following in that locality, and has at the same time extended his influence in other parts of western New York. In October, 1894, he was elected clerk of the Erie-county board of super- visors, and twice since then he has been re-elected. In the spring of 1896 he exerted himself actively in
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CONRAD DIEHL
support of Mckinley's nomination for the presi- dency, and was elected a delegate to the Repub- lican national convention at St. Louis. He was the youngest delegate in the convention.
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Mr. Dudley is a member of Livingstone Lodge, No. 255, F. & A. M., of Colden, Erie county, and of Aurora Chapter, No. 282, R. A. M. He belongs also to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and to the Royal Arcanum.
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WESLEY C. DUDLEY
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY -- Wesley Cole- man Dudler was born at Colden, Erie county, N. Y., May 31, 1867 : attended district schools and East Aurora ( N. Y. ) Academy; taught school. 1884-90 : was elected school commissioner of the southern part of Erie county in 1890; studied law in Buffalo, and was admitted to the bar in 1894 : married Floy Belle Stickney of Buffalo April 18, 1895 ; has been clerk of the Erie-county board of supervisors since October, 1894 ; has practiced law in Buffalo since 1894.
Arthur Va. fickman, prominent at the bar of Erie county for the last twenty years, and well known otherwise as a public-spirited citizen, was born in Calhoun county, Michigan, in the mid-century year. His parents, Isaac Hickman and Eliza Bale
Hickman, were from Devonshire, England, and came to this country in 1847. Mr. Hickman was taken to Buffalo during his infancy, and has lived there ever since. He attended the public schools of the city, and went through the high school, grad- uating therefrom with the class of '68. Having determined to make the legal profession his life-work, Mr. Hickman entered the office of Austin & Austin, Buffalo, soon after his graduation from the high school, for the purpose of learn- ing law by studying text-books, and by observing the actual routine practice of the profession in a busy office. There were few law schools in those days, and these were not looked upon with favor by the bench or bar, being regarded as places for the easy manufacture of law- yers. Their students were not required to pass qualifying examinations, and so were often admitted with little knowl- edge of the law. Mr. Hickman found the office method of learning law en- tirely practicable and successful. He was admitted to the bar at Rochester in September, 1871, and was thus able to begin the practice of his profession when he had been out of the high school but three years.
As he was then only twenty-one years old, he thought it unnecessary to open an office of his own at once, and he con- tinned with Austin & Austin for about a year as their managing clerk. In the fall of 1872 Benjamin H. Austin, Sr., retired from the firm, and Mr. Hickman formed a partnership with the younger Mr. Austin. The firm of Austin & Hick- man carried on a successful practice until 1879, when Mr. Austin moved to the Hawaiian islands to accept a judgeship. For the next few years, during which his time was largely taken up with political matters, Mr. Hickman practiced alone. In 1884 he formed a partnership with Nathaniel S. Rosenau, under the style Hickman & Rosenau. This asso- ciation continued less than two years, as Mr. Rosenau withdrew in 1885 to take charge of the charity-organization work in Buffalo. For eight years after this Mr. Hickman carried on an impor- tant practice without partnership assistance ; but in 1893 he formed with William Palmer the firm of Hickman & Palmer. This association still con- tinues, and the firm serves acceptably a large number of individual and corporate clients. Mr.
MEN OF NEW YORK-WESTERN SECTION
Hickman began practice so young that his experience rivals that of many older men ; and his judgment in legal affairs is such as might be expected to result from twenty-five years of conscientious service at an exceptionally able bar. He is a lecturer on phar- maceutical jurisprudence in the Buffalo College of Pharmacy.
Mr. Hickman has enjoyed a large practice during almost all his professional life ; but he has not per- mitted his private interests to absorb his energies, and he has taken a good deal of time for public duties, and for certain matters promoting the gen. eral welfare. Municipal reform, the enlargement and betterment of the Buffalo system of docks, the improvement of the public schools, and good gov- ernment in general, are subjects that have engaged his attention with resultant benefit to his fellow- citizens. His service in the state legis- lature in the years 1881-82 affords abun- dant evidence of his public spirit. He shaped his conduct in the assembly with reference to the welfare of his constit- uents, unmindful of his own political preferment, and without regard to the wishes of machine politicians. His hon- est independence and refusal to become the tool of a political "boss," cost him the party nomination for re-election. On this occasion, however, the politi- cians were reckoning without their host, and the people chose to exercise their right of self-government. A petition signed by 1500 of the most prominent men in the district urged Mr. Hickman to become a candidate for re-election on an independent ticket. He did so, and was elected by a majority of 1849 votes, the Democrats making no nomination.
In social life Mr. Hickman has en- joyed the prominence to which his pro- fessional standing and his engaging per- sonal qualities entitle him. He belongs to many social organizations, including the Oakfield, Yacht, Island, and Ellicott clubs. For fifteen years he has been a trustee of the First Baptist Church. He takes an active interest in practical phi- lanthropy, and belongs to most of the charitable organizations of Buffalo. He is one of the directors of the German Young Men's Association, and was secretary of the building committee during the construction of Music Hall. He belongs to the Buffalo Orpheus and Lie- dertafel, and is a life member of the Buffalo Library.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY-Arthur Washington Hickman was born at Marshall, Calhoun county, Mich., June 18, 1850 ; was educated in the Buffalo public schools ; was admitted to the bar at Rochester in 1871 ; was member of assembly from the 3d Erie-county district, 1881-82; has practiced law in Buffalo since 1872.
Devoe D. bobson, well known in western New York as a member of the Erie-county bar, was born at Ithaca, Tompkins county, in 1856. His general education was acquired in the public schools of Ithaca, in the academy at the same place, and in Cornell University. His legal education was obtained in the office of Samuel 1). Halliday and in that of Judge Marcus Lyon. Both of his preceptors were prominent attorneys of Ithaca,
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ARTHUR BE HICKMAN
and his clerkship in their offices proved an ex- cellent substitute for a law school. He was ad- mitted to the bar at Saratoga Springs in September, 1877.
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Beginning practice at once in Ithaca, Mr. Hodson followed his calling in that city for the next ten years. He was successful as regards both his profes- sional practice and the outside affairs with which most lawyers become more or less concerned ; but in -1887 he made a radical change in his vocation
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DETOE P. HODSON
and his residence. In the year mentioncd he pur- chased a half interest in the newspaper and printing plant of the Ithaca Republican, a paper then pub- lished by Walter G. Smith. Messrs. Smith and Hodson determined to move their plant bodily to southern California, and accordingly they established in San Diego a large printing office, publishing in connection therewith the Morning Telegram. This business proved unsuited to Mr. Hodson, and after a few months he sold his interest to his partner, re- turned to Ithaca, and resumed the practice of law.
Concluding that Buffalo offered greater attractions as a place of residence than the smaller city, and greater promise of material rewards as a field of professional practice, Mr. Hodson left Ithaca in
February, 1889, and opened an office in the metrop- olis of western New York. He practiced alone there for four years, and then associated himself with George B. Webster in the firm of Hodson & Webster. They have continued to practice together since 1893. Mr. Hodson concentrates his efforts on the contested work of his firm, and is regarded as a successful and effective ad- vocate before judge or jury.
During his student days Mr. Hodson espoused the cause of Democracy, and has ever since been prominent in the councils of that party. In 1882-83 he was clerk of the board of supervisors of Tompkins county. In 1885-86 he was corporation counsel of Ithaca. Shortly after moving to Buffalo he received the unusual distinction of an election by the municipal authorities of Niagara Falls as non-resident corporation counsel : this office he held two terms. In 1892 he was appointed by the state comptroller a commissioner to report upon the accounts of surrogates throughout New York state relative to the collateral-inheritance law. In 1893 he was nominated for the office of delegate to the constitutional conven- tion, but shared the general defeat of the Democratic party in that year. Mr. Hodson is a prominent platform speaker, and has taken a leading part in every important political campaign since he has lived in Buffalo. He is an active member of the Masonic fraternity, be- longing to Ancient Landmark Lodge, No. 441, F. & A. M .; he is also a mem- ber of other fraternal societies.
PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY- Devoe Pell Hodson was born at Ithaca, N. Y., March 23, 1856 ; was educated in the public schools of Ithaca and in Cornell University ; studied law in Ithaca law offices, and was admitted to the bar in 1877 ; married Mariette Wood of Painted Post, N. Y., December 23, 1880 ; was clerk of the Tompkins-county board of supervisors, 1882-83, and corporation counsel of Ithaca, 1885-86 ; practiced late in Ithaca, 1877-89, with the exception of a few months spent in southern California, and has prac- ticed in Buffalo since 1889 : was non-resident corpora- tion counsel of Niagara Falls, N. Y., 1890-92.
3obn WI. Meff, now auditor of Erie county. and heretofore well known in western New York as a public official, was born in Buffalo in 1862. He
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was educated in the public schools of that city, at- tending them from the time he was eight years old until the age of sixteen. At the latter stage of life he became a messenger boy for the Western Union Telegraph Co., and followed that interesting calling for the next two years. Deciding then to connect himself with some business in a permanent capacity, he obtained a suitable position with the freight- carrying company known as the Red Line, and began his long service in the transportation indus- try. He learned the business rapidly, and soon became an expert in the computation and auditing of mileage records. He remained with the Red Line for eight years, or until he was twenty-six years old. By that time he had decided to stop work- ing for others, and to embark in business on his own account. In 1886, accordingly, he opened an office in Buffalo for the writing of insurance, and has since carried on that business with marked success. He makes a spe- cialty of steam-boiler, plate-glass, and accident insurance.
At the relatively early age of twenty- nine Mr. Neff entered upon the political career by which he is best known to the public at large. He had taken a keen and intelligent interest in public affairs from his early manhood, affiliating with the Republican party ; but he held no office until 1891, when he was elected one of the supervisors of Erie county from the 7th ward, Buffalo. His work in this office was so satisfactory to his constituents that he was re-elected in 1893. He served upon the purchasing and auditing committee of the board of supervisors, one of the most important assignments. When that committee was abolished in 1895, and the office of county auditor was created to take its place, Mr. Neff was unanimously nomi- nated for the position by the Republican county convention, and was elected to the office by a majority of 15,000 votes. He is now discharging efficiently the duties of this responsible position, his term of office running until December 31, 1899.
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