USA > Pennsylvania > A biographical album of prominent Pennsylvanians, v. 1 > Part 19
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I. L. VANSANT.
HON. JOHN E. REYBURN.
JOIIN EDGAR REYBURN.
H ON. JOHN E. REYBURN, Senator from the Fifth Senatorial District, was born at New Carlisle, Clark county, Ohio, on February 7, 1845, and is the only son of William S. Reyburn, a successful merchant and manufacturer of Philadelphia, to which city his parents removed during their son's childhood. In the exercise of every care to prepare him for a useful life private tutors were employed to direct his mental training, until prepared for an academic course, when he entered Saunders' Institute at West Philadelphia, where he completed his schooling. On graduating he took up the study of law in the office of the late E. Spencer Miller, Esq., and was admitted to practice at the Philadelphia Bar in 1870. In the fall of that year, being of the age of twenty-five, he was elected a Representative to the State Legislature from his district, and immediately took a leading part, standing well to the front of much older and experienced men ; and, although it was his first term, he was elected to serve upon the general Judiciary Committee which framed the law providing for the New Constitutional Convention which formulated the Constitution of 1873. He also took an active part in all the leg- islation of that session, achieving considerable honor for one so young. He was re-elected in 1874, and again in 1875, to what was known as the " Centennial Session," in which he took a prominent and commanding position.
During these times he was active in promoting all the measures for carrying into effect the Constitutional Amendments then proposed by the General Judiciary and Constitutional Reform Committees, of which he was a member, and in which were associated with him as colleagues some of the ablest men in the State. He also took a prominent part in the formation of the special laws then enacted relating to cities of the first, second and third classes, and in the support of all measures looking to the interest of the great Centennial Exhibition ; in fact, during these sessions he participated in all the work of his party in the Legisla- ture, and was virtually a leader of the Republicans in the House, although the party was in the minority.
Returning from the session of 1876 with the esteem of his colleagues and the confidence of his constituency, he was in that year nominated by the Republican party and elected to the State Senate for the term of four years, to succeed the Hon. Elisha W. Davis, then President of the Senate ; and prominent as was that gentleman at that time, his young successor, by reason of his preparatory training in the House, was enabled to take a part which was fully as conspicuous and useful.
He was prominent in enacting the legislation which resulted from the labor riots of 1877, and was one of the hardest working members of the committee having those matters in charge. He has been a member of the Committee on Appropriations for four sessions, two of which he was its Chairman, and during
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that time over $25,000,000 were appropriated, and all of his recommendations were favorably acted upon. lle has held the office of Senator from his district from 1876 down to the present time, being a continuous service in that branch of eleven years, and none have acquired a higher reputation for personal and official integrity, firmness of purpose and other sterling traits of character. This being his reputation throughout the commonwealth, his general popularity led the leaders of the Republicans in the troublesome times of 1883, when the "Independent Party " practically held the balance of power, to select him as the standard-bearer of the Regulars or Stalwarts as they were then known; and his selection as President pro tem. of the Senate is often referred to as a very fortunate outcome. If the party had selected a weaker man, it is doubtful whether the Republican organization could have been held intact long enough to form a line to repel the assaults of those who had for many months planned its ruin and were to the last confident of success-all of which his selection averted, and to the satisfaction even of those who at that time opposed him.
As a man he has the respect of all-exemplary in his habits, interesting in conversation, affable in manner, and in his bearing towards all no one is more democratic.
As a parliamentarian he is able, far-seeing and active, and as a Senator on the floor no one is better versed in all legislation concerning the commonwealth, its finances, its corporations, and particularly in laws that affect the government of cities. His advocacy of legislation relating to the city of Philadelphia on the one hand, or his opposition on the other, practically settles its fate.
His name is frequently mentioned in connection with the Governorship of the State, Congressional nomination and the Mayoralty of the city on account of his availability ; but he is not so ambitious as to favor the solicitations of his friends in this respect. Although he has never pursued the active practice of his pro- fession, he has kept abreast with its progress by keeping himself well acquainted with its decisions. His resources financially permit of leisure time which he devotes to politics, and that his political course has proved successful is admitted, not only by the friends who appreciate his fidelity, but even by his political opponents. Many as have been the conflicts in which he has been engaged, it is conceded that he continues to grow in popular favor with his constituency, and, as he is still a young man, his life is full of promise if he is vouchsafed the ordinary length of years. His wealth does not consist entirely of his ample means, but a greater treasure-a conscience at ease, a mind constantly elevated and active in the interest of the public welfare and good government, and a repu- tation free from stain to descend as an inheritance which neither gold can pur- chase, envy diminish, nor the flight of time destroy. JNO. C. GRADY.
HON. ROBERT P. ALLEN
ROBERT PORTER ALLEN.
H ON. ROBERT P. ALLEN, a prominent lawyer of Williamsport, and formerly State Senator from the Twenty-fourth District, was born in South Wil- liamsport, Lycoming county, on February 6, 1835. His father, Charles Allen, was of English descent, and came to Lycoming county from New Jersey about the year 1800. His mother was Rachael Porter, who was of Scotch-Irish extraction. They lived all their married life, of nearly fifty years, on the home- stead farm in South Williamsport, where their son, Robert l'. Allen, was born. Ile began attendance at school in the city of Williamsport at an early age, and graduated from the Dickinson Seminary in 1852. He then entered the Sopho- more Class at Lafayette College, and graduated in 1855. After this he studied law with General Robert Fleming in Williamsport for a year and a half; then entered the Harvard Law School at Cambridge, Mass., from which he graduated, and was admitted to the bar of Lycoming county in January, 1858. " Beginning practice, he was almost immediately very successful. In the fall of 1875 Mr. Allen was elected a member of the State Senate from the Twenty-fourth District -- composed of the counties of Sullivan, Lycoming, Montour and Columbia-for the term of one year under apportionment of terms provided by the new Consti- tution of 1873, and was re-elected for the term of two years in the fall of 1876. In the election of 1875 Mr. Allen received in the district 11,315 votes, his oppo- nent, Mr. William A. Lyon, having 5.716. The people were so well pleased with his good judgment and his attention to the interests of the party he represented during his first term, that a second term was given him, as noted, the ballot showing the estimation in which he was held. Mr. Allen at this time received 12,606 votes, and Hon. Michael Steck 8,411. The latter gentleman had pre- viously been Territorial Governor of New Mexico, and was a very prominent man. During Mr. Allen's service in the Senate he took an active part in all debates, notably in those concerning the bill to reduce Boomage, the Sheriff's bill of Philadelphia, and the Recorder's bill of the same city. Since his last term he has entirely devoted himself to the practice of law.
Mr. Allen was elected a member of the Executive Committee of the Demo- cratie State Committee in 1883, and was re-elected to serve during the Presi- dential campaign. The next summer he was unanimously elected a delegate in the Sixteenth Congressional District to the Democratic National Convention, which was held in Chicago, and nominated Mr. Cleveland. Mr. E. L. Keenan, of MeKean county, was Mr. Allen's colleague. Mr. Allen was a member of the State Democratic Convention of 1885, and was nominated and elected Temporary Chairman. Upon being conducted to the chair by Hons. Richardson L. Wright and Vietor E. Piolett, he addressed the convention as follows :
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION :- I thank you for the honor you have given me by calling upon (167)
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mc to preside temporarily over your deliberations. I feel complimented in being conducted to the chair by the two veterans of Democracy who have just shown me that attention.
This is the first Democratic Convention held in the State, not since the election, but since the inangu- ration of a Democratic President. Without offices or patronage Democratic principles have kept life in the Democratic party for twenty-five years, and we can rejoice that now these principles are being put in practice by the new administration of our National affairs at Washington. .
The Constitution of 1873 of Pennsylvania contains some wise provisions as to the right of corporations. These public corporations were created for the public good, and they bring great benefits to the people, when they are restricted to the exercise of the legitimate powers granted to them by the State. The great corporations are only the creatures of the State to perform certain well-defined acts for a public purpose and for the public welfare; and all the people demand is that they should be kept within the laws of their creation.
The Constitution of IS73 places some important and very salutary restrictions upon corporations, and especially upon the great carrying companies of this State, the conduct and control of which is so vitally connected with the development, and taking to market of the varied and immeasurable natural products with which our great Commonwealth is blessed. The natural wealth of Pennsylvania to-day is largely to be measured by the control that shall be enforced over its great corporations. All that should he sought for is to keep them within the bounds of our constitutional limitations in the use of their fran- chises. Many of the wisest of these restrictions the Republican party have disregarded by refusing, during the time that they have had control of the Legislature, to enact proper laws to carry them into effect : and the Republican party in this State has uttered no voice in favor of a just and honest enforce- ment of our new constitution. We have before us now the vital question, whether the fundamental law of the State shall continue as to many of its provisions a dead letter. The Governor and his chief law- officer are resolutely and patriotically engaged at this time in trying to enforce the constitution, and to carry into practical operation some of its restraints upon public corporations; and it is our duty as a convention, and as citizens, looking to the public good, to uphold them in their efforts.
In all these positions he displayed talents which belong rather to the statesman than to the politician, and his name has been frequently mentioned in connection with the Gubernatorial chair. He has also been connected with various corpora- tions. Ile is a Director in the Lumbermen's National Bank, the Williamsport Gas Company and the Williamsport Water Company, and is President of the Williamsport Passenger Railroad Company ; and is a member of the Board of Trade, a Director of the Williamsport Ilospital and a Trustee of Lafayette Col- lege, Easton, the institution from which he graduated. He is attorney for the Fall Brook and the Reading Railroads, and other large corporations. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
At the breaking out of the war Mr. Allen enlisted in Company A, Eleventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was with his company during the three months' service of 1861. He was Adjutant of the Third Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, in 1862.
Mr. Allen was united in marriage, on January 5, 1864, to Miss Ellen E. Flen- ing, eldest daughter of Gen. Robert Fleming, and has six children. He occupies a handsome mansion at 605 West Fourth street, Williamsport, and is one of that city's most respected citizens. In the numerous high positions which he has held he has so acquitted himself that it would be indeed difficult to find a man equally prominent held in such high and general esteem. His reputation is very enviable and thoroughly merited.
HON. JOSEPH M. GAZZAM.
JOSEPH M. GAZZAM.
A DISTINGUISHED lineage, traceable back for more than a century, is of itself always a source of pride, but it becomes a matter of greater pride when one can point to an ancestor who has suffered for humanity's sake. To such JOSEPH M. GAZZAM can lay claim. The founder of Mr. Gazzam's paternal ancestry in America was compelled to leave his native land because of his philanthropy. William Gazzam, Joseph's grandfather, was an English journalist of the liberal school, who published a paper at Cambridge, England, towards the close of the last century. Like Pitt, Burke and many other high-minded Englishmen, he advocated the cause of the American colonies, and expressed a love of freedom which greatly offended the government of George III. His liberal articles became so offensive to the royal household that steps were taken to arrest him, but, being warned of the movement, he made a hasty flight. It was early in 1793 when he sailed from London for America. The following letter will convey some idea of his hasty exit :
LONDON, February 7th, 1793.
To Rev. Dr. Rogers; the Rev. Dr. Eusticks, of Philadelphia; the Rev. Dr. Foster, of New York ; the Rev. Dr. Edwards, of New Haven, Conn .; the Rev. Dr. Sillman, of Boston ; the Rev. Dr. Hood, of Lexington, Ky. ; or any other of my American correspondents to whom this may come :
This is to certify that William Gazzam, the bearer of these lines, is an honorable Member of the Con- gregational Church at Cambridge, under the pastoral care of Rev. Mr. G ----. Ile has been driven from his own country only for speaking in behalf of the rights of mankind, perhaps incautiously. So hasty was his removal, that his much-loved Pastor had no opportunity to give him testimonials. He is united with one of our Baptist families and with others of our friends, whose names would gladly be united in recommending him and his attention to our foreign friends, with the name of their obliged and affectionate Brother and Servant, JOHN RIPPON.
The writer of the above letter was the celebrated Dr. John Rippon, author of " Rippon's Hymns" and a Baptist preacher of considerable fame in England.
William Gazzam came to Philadelphia, where he engaged in business. The Philadelphia Directory of 1796 contains the following line : "Gazzam & Taylor, merchants, No. 20 North Front street." The next year another member was taken into the business, and the firm-title became " Gazzam, Taylor & Jones, No. 36 North Front street." Some time about ISoo or ISof the second member withdrew. The next heard of Gazzam & Jones was in Carlisle, Cumberland county, where they transacted a general mercantile business for about a year, when the copartnership was dissolved, Mr. Gazzam having been appointed, by President Madison, collector and surveyor of the port of Pittsburgh, to which place he removed in 1802, and where, in ISII, he died. He was married twice, his second wife being of Philadelphia, and it is through the descendants of this latter union that Joseph M. Gazzam traces his line. The fourth son of William Gazzam and his wife, Ann Parker, was Dr. Edward D. Gazzam, who was the
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JOSEPH M. GAZZAM.
father of Joseph M. He was born in Pittsburgh in 1803, and commenced the study of law under the preceptorship of Hon. Richard Biddle, but on account of ill-health was compelled to abandon his profession after practising about two years, when he took up the study of medicine. Dr. Gazzam held quite a prominent position in the political arena of Pennsylvania. He was reared a Democrat, but like many of the same opinion was opposed to the extension of slavery. Such views caused him to sever his allegiance to the Democratic party, and in 1848, with Salmon P. Chase, sowed the " Free-Soil" seed at the Buffalo Con- vention from which sprang the Republican party. In the same year he was the " Free-Soil" candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania, his opponents being Hon. William F. Johnson, the Whig candidate, and Morris Longstreth, the Democratic candidate. The contest was a warm, earnest and exciting one, the Whigs being the victors. In 1855 he nominated for Canal Commissioner Passmore Williamson, of Philadelphia, who was at the time in prison for violat- ing the Fugitive Slave Law. Dr. Gazzam was at the same time the " Free- Soil" candidate for State Senator; the party was then called the " Union Party." His opponents were Hopewell Hepburn, Democrat, and Paul A. Way, Fillmore- American. Dr. Gazzam was elected over his opponents by about one thousand majority, and was therefore the first Republican State Senator from Allegheny county. In 1857 he declined to allow his name to be presented before the Re- publican State Convention for Governor.
At the breaking out of the war he and Dr. McCook were the first persons to move towards preventing Secretary of War Floyd from removing the guns and other property of the government from the Allegheny Arsenal. They took a great interest in this matter, and it was largely due to their efforts that this arsenal was not dismantled, like were many others throughout the Northern States. Dr. Gazzam communicated with the Secretary of War upon the subject of munitions of war, to which he received the following letter of reply :
Ordnance Office, WASHINGTON, May 3d, 1861.
E. D. GAZZAM, ESQ., Chairman, Pittsburgh, Pa.
SIR : Your telegram May Ist, to the Secretary of War, about powder now held by the Committee, is received and sent to this office. If any of the powder is needed by the commanding officer at Allegheny Arsenal, and is, in his judgment,-of suitable quality for the United States service, it may be delivered to him. The Committee must use their discretion about the residue, throwing every proper guard around the disposition to be made of it.
Respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES W. RIPLEY, Lieutenant- Colonel United States.
The powder referred to in the above letter was seized by the Committee of Safety when about being shipped to some Southern point.
In 1867 Dr. Gazzam moved to Philadelphia, where he died, February 19th, 1878. On the maternal side Mr. Gazzam is descended from Austrian-Irish parentage, the story of the union of which is quite a romance. Shortly after peace was declared between the United States and Great Britain, the Emperor Joseph II.,
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of Austria, sent to the new republic, as resident minister, Baron Antonie De Beelen de Berthoff, who was accompanied by his wife and their only son, Antonie Constantine, a lad fifteen years of age. The Baron De Beelen was minister from 1783-87, but did not return to his own country at the expiration of his mission on account of political troubles. He settled first in Chester county and then moved to Lancaster county, where in a sequestered cemetery, on the banks of the Conewago, he and his wife were buried. The son Antonie moved to Pittsburgh. Some time in the latter half of the last century Patrick Murphy, an Irish gentleman of learning, became a tutor in the family of an Irish nobleman. His time was devoted to the instruction of the daughter of the nobleman, but a warmer and closer friendship sprung up between teacher and student, which resulted in a runaway match. Mr. Murphy and his young bride found a home in America; he became an officer in the Continental army. His wife died at the time of their only child's birth, who was given the name of Elizabeth Antoinette. Captain Murphy was in great trouble about finding a suitable person to take charge of his little daughter, but finally secured the services of a young married woman at Carlisle. The woman became greatly attached to her foster-child, and, in after years, being a widow, refused to surrender the child to Captain Murphy, and plainly told him that the only way he could get possession of his daughter was to marry her, the foster-mother, which he did. Some years after he lost his life in the Monongahela while trying to save a drowning child.
Antonie De Beelen made the acquaintance of Elizabeth Antoinette Murphy, made her his wife and had by her several children, one of whom, Mary, became the wife of Dr. Simpson, of Pittsburgh, and the mother of the wife of the late Benjamin Rush, Esq., of Philadelphia. Another daughter, Elizabeth Antoinette, married Dr. Gazzam. She died in Pittsburgh in 1871.
Joseph M. Gazzam, the second son of Dr. Edward D. and Elizabeth Antoinette Gazzam, was born in Pittsburgh, December 2d, IS42. As a child his health was delicate, and it was not until he had attained the age of fourteen that his parents thought it advisable for him to attend school. His education was not, however, neglected, for up to that age he received very careful tuition from his father. At fourteen he entered the Western University of Pennsylvania, where he remained for three and a half years, when he was compelled to abandon his studies temporarily on account of ill-health. He then started on an extended tour of the Western States, whereby he was greatly benefited. In 1861 he entered the law office of David Reed, Esq., of Pittsburgh, with whom he commenced read- ing law, and was admitted to the Allegheny bar three years later. He im- mediately took a prominent and leading position among his legal brethren, and soon acquired a very extensive criminal practice. In June, 1864, six months after his admission to practice, he was intrusted with no less than twenty cases which were tried before the Quarter Sessions. He, however, became disgusted with the criminal practice and tried no more cases of that character excepting for regular clients. In the civil courts he conducted all manner of cases. In 1872
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he formed a law partnership with Hon. Alexander G. Cochran, to whom he relinquished the court practice almost entirely. The firm of Gazzam & Cochran continued until 1879, when, owing to the removal of Mr. Cochran to St. Louis, it was dissolved. During Mr. Cochran's term in Congress, Mr. Gazzam attended to all their extensive business, including the trial of cases in courts, only leaving minor details to their clerks and students. In 1867 he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ; in 1869 to the Circuit and District Courts of the United States; and in 1870, on motion of Hon. Benjamin F. Butler, he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States ; being one of the youngest attorneys that had ever been admitted to practice before that honorable body. In 1869 he was elected a Director for Pennsylvania in the United States Law Association, an association representing leading attorneys throughout the United States and elsewhere. He retained the director- ship until his removal to Philadelphia in the fall of 1879, where he has a very extensive and lucrative practice.
He early developed a penchant for the political arena, and from his high- toned bearing and desire to see political affairs transacted in an honest manner he soon attracted the attention of the citizens of the First ward of Pittsburgh. In 1869 he was nominated by the Republicans for the Common Council of that ward, and elected. At the time of his nomination the press of the city, unitedly and irrespective of party, spoke in the very highest terms of him, as being " liberal-minded and progressive." He contended often and earnestly in council for economical government and for many improvements, both of a moral and sanitary character, in the public departments.
In 1873 he visited Europe and was absent for six months, and on his return to his native land was more thoroughly American than ever, believing that he lived in the greatest and grandest country of the world.
In 1876 Mr. Gazzam became the Republican candidate for State Senator from the Forty-third Senatorial District, comprising the First, Fifteenth and Twenty- third wards of Pittsburgh, which included the entire business portion of the city. This district is probably the second wealthiest in the State. Mr. Gazzam defeated his Democratic opponent, Hon. J. M. Irwin, by a large majority. In the County Convention he was nominated by acclamation, succeeding Hon. G. HI. Anderson, son-in-law of Hon. George Darsie, who defeated Dr. Gazzam in 1837, thirty years before, in the same district for the Senate by one vote. In 1877 Mr. Gazzam took his seat in the State Senate, his position being on the left of the Speaker and immediately in front of his warm personal friend, Hon. James B. Everhart, of Chester county. He had not long been a member of that body before he was recognized as one of the most clear-headed and thoughtful of its members. During his first term he presented a very large number of petitions and remonstrances, besides introducing a great number of bills, nearly all of which became laws. The session of 1878 was also equally busy for him, as well as his last year, 1879. Among the most important bills
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