USA > Pennsylvania > A biographical album of prominent Pennsylvanians, v. 1 > Part 25
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While Mr. King was cautious and discreet he displayed unusual judgment in his public aets, and was a most conscientious and industrious official. IIis powers of endurance and his industry were remarkable. lle was invariably one of the first to arrive at his office, where he remained, with the exception of an hour and a half for his dinner, until a late hour, giving personal attention to every detail of the office, and investigating matters for himself. When he acted upon his own knowledge and convictions he made few mistakes. He insisted upon strict discipline in the police force, yet was lenient, kind-hearted and forbearing, giving every man a fair hearing when brought before him for reprimand or pun- ishment. He was deemed too slow and conservative by many, but when he made up his mind he acted promptly enough, and with firmness. He was essentially a safe man to be at the head of the municipal government.
Mr. King was not at all ambitious to be a leader, and never strove after or posed for effect. Few occupants of the office of Mayor have been so retiring and seclusive in their manners as was Mr. King. He carefully avoided attending,
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and declined all participation in, festivities or social entertainments which were not connected in some way with the duties of his office. In this respect he gave offense to many by declining to accept invitations to public and private enter- tainments at which he did not consider his duty required his attendance. By this course, however, he was enabled to take good care of his health, and kept up the dignity of the office; and it cannot be said that he in any way lowered that dignity which belonged to the highest office in the gift of the voters of his native city.
The political upheaval which carried Mr. King into the Mayoralty was of a very peculiar character, and the wisdom of the people in choosing him was verified by the course which he pursued. The movement which elevated him was moral as well as political. It was not only an effort to throw off the domi- nating influence of the few bosses, but to uproot their corrupt and unscrupulous methods. Mr. King's occupancy of the chair of Chief Magistrate of Philadelphia reflects, in a clear light, the unswerving qualities of his character in his defiance of all efforts to drag him down from the high level upon which such an election had placed him. He steadfastly held to the moral standard of those who trusted him with power, and his record bears investigation with credit to himself and to the wisdom and judgment of those who were instrumental in placing him in the position he so conscientiously and acceptably filled. No man attains perfection cither in or out of office ; but Mr. King made few mistakes, and none that were culpable. If he erred at all, it was on the side of prudence and caution.
Since his retirement he has had many opportunities to gratify ambition in a business way had he felt disposed to entertain them. He has been offered the Presidency of several trust companies and banks, but declined them all, preferring the peaceful walks of retired life.
It is not known to many of his friends that for years Mr. King has cultivated a taste for poetry, and his productions in verse are full of delightfully expressed soul-breathings. His " Faith, Hope and Charity," " Birds and Flowers," " Green Leaves Under the Snow," " Rosy-Breast Robin," and his most recent produc- tion, " Cricket on the Hearth," are attractive compositions, glowing with the true spirit of the poet.
Mr. King greatly enjoys the beauty of the Park, which he has done so much to make a pleasure-ground for the people. In the spring and autumn he takes his daily walks there when the weather is clear. The summer months he spends at Saratoga Springs. His prudence, temperance, regularity of living and careful business habits have secured for him an ample fortune, enabling him to enjoy existence and have made his latter days bright with the sunshine of a well-spent life. He can be pointed to as a shining example of a model public officer, enjoy- ing retirement at an age ripe with the fruits of honor, integrity and industry. llis patriotism is undoubted; his honesty unquestioned ; his public services un- tarnished by any stain, and he walks the streets of his native city honored and respected. GEORGE F. GORDON.
HON. EDWIN H. FITLER.
EDWIN HENRY FITLER.
H ON. EDWIN II. FITLER, the first Mayor of Philadelphia under the new City Charter, was born in that city December2, 1825. His father, Wil- liam Fitler, was a prominent and successful tanner and leather dealer at Second and Otter streets. The old Fitler mansion at that corner still stands, and, although no longer occupied by the family, is often referred to by them as a place of pleasant memories.
Mr. Fitler received an academic education, and proposed to devote himself to the practice of law. With this end in view he entered the office of Charles E. Lex, studying conveyancing at the same time with his brother, Alfred Fitler. The bent of his mind, however, was mechanical, and after four years of study he decided to abandon the profession and follow his natural inclinations. The knowledge thus acquired, however, had proved exceedingly valuable to him, and has been one of the sources of his remarkable success in business. He can say, as can few manufacturers, that in a business of forty years he has been able to avoid being involved in a single litigation. He entered the cordage house of George J. Weaver at Germantown avenue and Tenth street, and in two years had so mastered the details of the business that he was qualified to take the place of any skilled workman in the trade, and was admitted as a partner in his twenty- third year, the firm becoming George J. Weaver & Co. Under his management labor-saving machinery was introduced, and as improvements appeared were at once adopted, thus largely increasing the business and reputation of the firm. Many of the improvements in the machinery are of Mr. Fitler's own conception and application. It is greatly to his credit that his inventions have always been given freely to the public, and never patented. In 1859 he purchased the inter- est of his partner, Mr. Weaver, and the firm became Edwin HI. Fitler & Co .- a name which has become a trade-mark throughout the world. The firm consists of himself and his two sons, Edwin II. Fitler, Jr., and William W. Fitler. As the business increased, the old factory became too cramped for their operations, and in 1880 the works were removed to Bridesburg. The present plant covers fifteen acres of ground, filled with the best modern machinery, and the product is the largest in the United States. The esteem by which he is held by his col- leagues in the trade was evidenced by his election as President of the American Cordage Manufacturers' Association. Mr. Fitler's relations with his employés deserve special mention in these days of labor agitation. Many of his workmen have been with him for from twenty to thirty years. The cordial and friendly intercourse which is apparent upon his visits to the works shows that a warmer relation exists between him and his operatives than mere contracts for wages and service. There has never been a strike at the Fitler Cordage Works.
While thus closely devoted to the advancement and personal management of
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his business, Mr. Fitler has recognized his full duties as a citizen. At the out- break of the civil war he threw the whole weight of his personal influence in favor of the National cause, and his money, time and business counsel were often asked and freely given to the government. His own patriotic spirit spread to his employés, and, although their enlistment involved heavy pecuniary sacrifices and much business inconvenience, he not only cheerfully encouraged it, but person- ally saw that no company left the city better equipped for the duties of the field than that organized at his own works. His prominent position in the Union League brought him into the political arena, where he was always known as an earnest advocate of Republican principles and the selection of competent men for office. When his counsels were overruled, the political leaders found that they were the losers.
Mr. Fitler's financial position, second to none in the city, rests not so much upon his wealth as his high sense of honor and known integrity. His word when given is never qualified or questioned. As a business man he is known for his keen perceptions, his ready grasp and apprehension of all the points of the subject, and the rapidity and correctness of his decisions. No better illustration of his promptness and energy can be given than to mention that on two occasions when his Germantown avenue works were destroyed by fire the contracts for rebuilding were signed before the firemen left the ground. His counsel and advice are often sought by others, and always cheerfully given. In political affairs, while unswerving in his own Republican faith, his course has always been marked by a wise and liberal forbearance towards those who sincerely and lion- estly differed with him in their opinions and purposes. He is noted for his hos- pitality, and while maintaining the social position to which he is entitled by his circumstances, he avoids all unnecessary display.
Mr. Fitler is a Director of the National Bank of the Northern Liberties and the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He is also Vice-President of the Union League, and is, ex-officio, a Director of the Park Commission ; a member of the Board of City Trusts, the Public Buildings Commission, and a Manager of the Edwin Forrest Home. In 1875 and 1876 he was a member of the Cen- tennial Board of Finance, and did his full share of the work which made that exhibition a success and credit to the city of Philadelphia.
The passage of an "act to provide for the better government of cities of the first class in this commonwealth " by the Legislature on June 1, 1885, was the most important event in the history of Philadelphia since the consolidation. By it the whole system of the government of the city was changed, and the Mayor assumed responsibilities and duties greater than those resting upon the chief officer of any other municipality in the country. The ends and aims sought to be attained by this change had been widely disseminated in the public press and canvassed by the people. It is probable that no public measure was ever as fully discussed by the great body of citizens as this one, pending the passage of the bill. The office of Mayor was clearly understood by all to be one that, if filled
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by a designing or incompetent incumbent, could be used to the great detriment of the public interests. Moreover, the position was further complicated by the fact that there were no precedents to be followed ; and that the new Mayor would have to formulate and lay out a course of action to be followed by his successors, and select men competent to understand and carry out his plans. Hence it was seen that the new incumbent must not only be a man of wide experience and business sagacity, but also one who would stand to his opinions and convictions against strong political and social pressure. With singular unanimity Mr. Fitler's name was at once suggested not only in all the councils of the Republican party, but in the conferences of the independent citizens ; and, although he knew that the proper fulfilment of the duties of the office would involve heavy personal and pecuniary sacrifices, true to his previous record, he accepted the nomination. The enthusiasm aroused by his stirling political prin- ciples and prominent business and social position, together with his incorruptible integrity, was marvellous. All attempts to array the opposition of the working classes against him on account of his wealth met with signal failure, and in February, 1887, he was elected by nearly 30,000 majority, the largest ever given to any Mayor of the city. His course since he assumed the office has amply sustained the expectations which had been raised, and has won the hearty appro- val of all the best citizens, irrespective of party. With him professional politicians have no influence, nor has he sought to advance any personal aims by the power thus placed in his hands. His highest ambition is to faithfully enforce the laws, and lay a broad and safe foundation for his successors to carry on and complete the work, for which the charter was framed and intended to accomplish.
Mr. Fitler's name was presented by the united vote of the Philadelphia dele- gates to the Republican National Convention, recently held at Chicago, supple- mented by the votes of several delegates from his own and other States, as their choice for President of the United States, and while he did not in any sense seek the office, he naturally appreciated the honor conferred by their advocacy of hin for the nomination.
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GEN. WINFIELD S. HANCOCK.
GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT IIANCOCK.
M AJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD S. HANCOCK, whose fame as a soldier belongs not to Pennsylvania alone, but to the whole country, was born at Montgom- eryville, Montgomery county, February 14, 1824. While he was yet a child the family removed to Norristown, where his father, Benjamin F. Hancock, engaged in the practice of the law. Here he attended the academy until his sixteenth year, when he received an appointment to the West Point Military Academy, from which he graduated number eighteen in his class, June 30, 1844. Among those who were his classmates in that institution were Grant, McClellan, Buell, Rosecrans, Reynolds, Longstreet, Pickett and Stonewall Jackson. It is said that when General Scott asked young Hancock on his graduation to what regi- ment he wished to be assigned, he answered: "The one which is stationed farthest West." Accordingly, he was appointed, July 1, 1844, Brevet Second- Lieutenant in the Sixth Infantry, then stationed at a frontier post in the Indian Territory. On June 18, 1846, he was commissioned Second-Lieutenant, and thereafter was conspicuous during the war with Mexico for gallantry displayed in the several contests at San Antonio, Molino del Rey, Cherubusco and the city of Mexico, in recognition of which he was, in August, 1848, brevetted First- Lieutenant, to take rank from the date of Cherubusco. After his return he was made Regimental Quartermaster, and served as such until 1849, when he became Adjutant of his regiment. In November, 1855, he was appointed Captain and Assistant Quartermaster, and at the outbreak of the late Civil War he was sta- tioned at Los Angeles, Cal. Here he exercised a powerful influence in calming the storm of passion and fanaticism which threatened to separate that section from its allegiance to the Union. Relieved at his own request, he hastened to Washington, reported for service, and was assigned to duty as Chief Quarter- master on the staff of Gen. Robert Anderson ; but before entering upon his duties he was appointed by President Lincoln a Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Sep- tember 23, 1861, and placed in command of a brigade of four regiments attached to the division of Gen. W. F. Smith.
When the Peninsular campaign opened in the spring of 1862 this division, with Hancock's brigade in advance, was the leading column. By his brilliant charge on the enemy at Williamsburg he won the brevet rank of Major United States Army, and the cognomen of "Superb." His conduct during the campaign on the Peninsula led the General-in-chief to urge his promotion to Major-General United States Volunteers, and subsequently to three brevet commissions in the regular army. He was made a Division Commander on the field of Antietam. He was subsequently conspicuous for bravery at Fredericksburg, where, though badly wounded, he refused to quit the field. A second time he was recommended for promotion as Major-General of Volunteers, and this time he obtained it. For
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gallantry at Chancellorsville, June 10, 1863, he was assigned by President Lincoln to the command of the Second Corps, and led it in the movement to oppose the ad- vance of Lee in his second invasion of the North, which culminated at Gettysburg. After the death of General Reynolds, and during the absence of General Meade, he practically commanded the army during that famous battle. Not a plan of his was changed, and the result of that desperate struggle attests his military genius. Just at the final struggle on July 3d, when Pickett's charge had spent its strength, he fell severely wounded, and was borne from the field, and his fall probably prevented the Confederate retreat from being turned into a rout. He did not report for duty again until December 15, 1863, when he was prominently named in official circles as the future commander of the Army of the Potomac, but he disclaimed all desire for that position. Being physically disqualified for field duty, he was assigned to recruit his depleted corps. All through the North an ovation from patriotic citizens was given him, and swords of honor were pre- sented him. He rejoined his command, March 18, 1864, and at the battle of the Wilderness, May 5th, was again wounded, though he would not quit the field. Here he won his Brigadier-Generalship, regular army. Ile was actively engaged in the campaign of 1864 until June 17th, when he was compelled to turn over the command of his corps on account of the wound that he received at Gettys- burg, which had never healed. He shortly after resumed duty, and for five months was in every contest and victory. He returned to Washington in November, 1864, where he undertook the task of recruiting a veteran corps of fifty thousand men. In February, 1865, he was appointed to command the Middle Department, with head-quarters at Winchester, Va., where he remained watching the enemy until Lee's surrender. On March 13, 1865, he was brevetted Major-General United States Army, for "gallant and meritorious services at Spottsylvania," and July 26, 1866, he was promoted to Major-Generalship in the army, and assigned to the Department of Missouri.
In the subsequent year, August 26th, he was transferred to the Fifth Military District, comprising Texas and Louisiana, succeeding General Sheridan ; and while here issued his famous General Order No. 40, placing the military in sub- ordination to the civil authorities, and which, though containing declarations that will be forever classic in the literature of civil liberty, was in antagonism to the general sentiment then prevailing at the North, and led to his transfer, at his own request, from that department to the Division of the Atlantic, with head- quarters at New York.
After General Grant became President he was sent, March 5, 1869, to the Department of Dakota; but on the death of General Meade, which took place November 6, 1872, he was again assigned to the Division of the Atlantic, and retained that command until his death, with head-quarters in New York City until 18; 8, and subsequently on Governor's Island.
General Hancock, though a soldier and not a politician, was frequently men- tioned as a Democratic candidate for the Presidency, and in the convention held
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at Cincinnati in ISSo he received the nomination on the second ballot; and at the election in the following November, out of eight million eight hundred and ninety-one thousand and eighty-eight votes, he received four million four hun- dred and forty-two thousand and thirty-five, lacking only seven thousand and nineteen votes of the majority. On the evening of the day of the election he retired to bed at seven P. M., and when at five o'clock on the following morning he was told by his wife, " It has been a complete Waterloo for you," he replied : "That is all right; I can stand it," and in another minute he was asleep. He accepted his defeat as a soldier, and kept on the even tenor of his way, only appearing in public when his presence was required to add grace to some public pageant. His last notable appearance was at General Grant's funeral, of which he took full charge. This was soon followed by his own illness, which termi- nated fatally, February 9, 1886. Though the apparent cause of liis sickness was a virulent carbuncle, which appeared on his neck, it is said that he really died from diabetes. He was buried at Norristown, February 13th.
In his youth Hancock was a tall, thin and rather effeminate-looking stripling, but in his prime he was a model of manly strength and beauty. He was a clear and independent thinker and a good writer, and though mere politicians, as O'Connor remarks, may affect to sneer at his political utterances, some of them will probably survive and receive approval when his critics are forgotten. No man was more generally and sincerely loved. Ile was courteous to all men, and faithful to his friends. Ilis family affections were particularly strong. The pet names of his wife were the last words that he spoke. The death of his only daughter in 1875, and that of his only son at the close of 1880, were calamities that made him feel that all earthly honors were no more than " a peck of refuse wheat." In his last days he was wrapped up in devotion to his grandchildren. It is as a soldier, of course, that he will be known to posterity, and on his military achievements his fame must rest.
Doubtless his place is among the foremost of those generals who never fought an independent campaign, for in every duty of soldiership, except the highest, he was tried and never found wanting. He was not only brave himself, but had the ability to inspire masses of men with courage. He was quick to perceive oppor- tunity amid the dust and smoke of battle, and quick to seize it. He was impul- sive, and yet tenacious. He had the bravery that goes forward rapidly, and the bravery that gives way slowly. Above all, he was loyal-loyal to the soldier under him, loyal to the commander above him, and loyal to the nation over all. Ile was not only in every great battle of the Army of the Potomac, but in the brunt of every great battle, and it is his peculiar glory that no comrade ever complained of him. He was a friend of McClellan, and did him valuable ser- vices ; Burnside could rely on him for all that ability could do to amend the work of folly ; Hooker put full faith in him ; Meade could trust him to choose the field of battle and almost fight it ; and he was to Grant as his right arm. All men did him honor. Doubleday, who quarrelled with Howard, had nothing but praise
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for Hancock. Sickles, who quarrelled with Meade, was prompt to do homage to Hancock for the succor given to him at Gettysburg. Even the military critics, who delight to explain the blunders and shortcomings of soldiers, have united in commendation of him, and pronounce his record almost without a flaw.
Grant says of him : "Hancock stands the most conspicuous figure of all the general officers who did not exercise a separate command. He commanded a corps longer than any other one, and his name was never mentioned as having committed in battle a blunder for which he was responsible. He was a man of very conspicuous personal appearance-tall, well-formed, and, at the time of which I now write, young and fresh-looking. He presented an appearance that would attract the attention of an army as he passed. His genial disposition made him friends, and his personal courage and his presence with his command in the thickest of the fight won him the confidence of the troops serving under him."
General McClellan says of him: " Hancock received a brigade carly in the formation of the Army of the Potomac. He was a man of most chivalrous courage, and of a superb presence, especially in action. He had a wonderfully quick and correct eye for ground and for handling troops; his judgment was good, and it would be difficult to find a better corps commander."
Gen. Francis A. Walker, in an address before Vermont veterans, said of Han- cock : "While he was not master of the science of logistics, like Meade and Humphreys, he could conduct a long march over bad roads, with artillery and trains, better, in my humble judgment, than any other officer of the war, Federal or Confederate."
Perhaps his best eulogy is the blunt declaration of General Sherman to a reporter in search of adverse criticism during the Presidential canvass of 1880: " If you will sit down and write the best thing that can be put in language about General Hancock as a gentleman and an officer, I will sign it without hesitation."
On January 4, 1850, while stationed at St. Louis, he married Almira Russell, of that city, who survives him, and, after a life of wifely devotion, has written in her widowhood a volume of reminiscences which is one of the most graceful tributes ever paid to a deceased husband.
E. T. F.
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GEN. ABSALOM BAIRD.
GEN. ABSALOM BAIRD.
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