Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. I, Part 23

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed; Jordan, Wilfred, b. 1884, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, NY : Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 710

USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. I > Part 23

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the Council and therefore acting chief executive of the State of Pennsylvania. During the second year of this service he met with an injury, and not being able to leave his house, the Council met at his home. In October, 1787, he was elected a member of the Legislature from Berks county, but being appointed October 23, 1787, Clerk of Supreme Executive Council, resigned from the Legislature without taking his seat, and served as clerk of Council until that body ceased to exist under the new Constitution. On February 1, 1791, he was commissioned Pro- thonotary of Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia, succeeding his brother James, who was then made President Judge of the Common Pleas Court. Capt. Biddle served as Prothonotary until 1809, the following year was elected a member of the State Senate and served several terms. He was appointed by the President in 1812 to sign the treasury notes issued by the government. He was a member of State Board of Property, 1784-6, and Vice-president of the board the latter year. He was an original member of Society of Cincinnati, and was its treasurer in 18II. He was elected a director of Bank of Pennsylvania, 1793, and served many years. In 1799, during the French agitation, he assisted in organization of a militia company for preservation of order at home, and took an active part in all matters pertaining to the best interests of the city. Capt. Charles Biddle was an intimate friend of Col. Aaron Burr, and while the Colonel was under a cloud by reason of the killing of Alexander Hamilton in a duel, he spent some time at the house of Capt. Biddle, in Philadelphia. Burr made an effort to interest Capt. Biddle in his Mississippi enterprise, but failed, though Capt. Biddle always believed in the sincerity of his motives. He died at his home on Chestnut street near Eleventh, April 4, 1821, and was buried at Christ Church.

Issue of Charles and Hannah (Shepard) Biddle :---

Nicholas, b. Newbern, N. C., Oct. 1779, d. inf .;

William Shepard Biddle, b. Philadelphia Feb. 21, 1781, d. May 30, 1835, m. first, Circe Deroneray, and second, Elizabeth B. Keating, nee Hopkinson. Graduated univ. of Pa. 1797. Prominent lawyer of Phila.

JAMES BIDDLE, b. Feb. 18, 1783, d. unm. October 1848; of whom later.

Edward Biddle, b. 1784, appointed midshipman U. S. N., Feb. 14, 1800; d. on Frigate "President," Nov. 14, 1800.

NICHOLAS, b. January 8, 1786, d. 1844, m. Jane Craig, of whom presently;

Charles, b. 1787, d. 1836; business man in Phila. until 1826; admitted to bar at Nash- ville, Tenn., 1827. Sent to Isthmus of Panama by Pres. Jackson, 1835, to report on feasible route for railroad and canal across isthmus, and obtained concessions for former. M. 1808, Anna H. Stokes. Son James S. Biddle, entered U. S. N. as midshipman, Dec. 18, 1833; passed midshipman, July 2, 1839; Lieut. Aug. 29, 1834; resigned Sept. 25, 1856, m. Meta Craig Biddle, dau. of his uncle Nicholas Biddle ; A dau. b. 1788, d. 1789, at age of 15 months.

Thomas, b. 1790, commissioned Capt. Infantry, April 9, 1812; under Col. Zebulon Pike; transferred to 2d Artillery July 6, 1812; Corps Artillery, May 12, 1814, wounded at Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie, and breveted Major for gallant and meritorious ser- vice, Aug. 15, 1814; transferred to Rifle Regiment, Jan. 7, 1820; commissioned Major P. M. Aug. 7, 1820; killed in duel with Spencer Pettis, M. C., Aug. 29, 1831. M. Ann Mullanphy; no issue ;

John, b. 1792, d. Aug. 21, 1859, at Detroit, Michigan. Commissioned 2d Lieut. 3rd Artillery, U. S. A., July 6, 1812; Ist Lieut. March 13, 1813; transferred to Corps Artil- lery, May 17, 1815; Major, A. I. G., June 18, 1817, disbanded June 1, 1821. Delegate to Congress from Michigan, 1829-31: president of convention which adopted first constitution of State. M. Eliza Bradish and had Margaretta, wife Gen. Andrew Por- ter, U. S. A .; William, James, and Edward J. Biddle.

Richard, b. 1796, d. Pittsburg, 1847, m. Ann Anderson. Eminent member Pittsburg Bar; member of Congress, 1837-41 ; author of "Life of Sebastian Cabot."

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NICHOLAS BIDDLE, fourth surviving son of Charles and Hannah (Shepard) Biddle, born at Philadelphia January 8, 1786, was of much more than ordinary intellectual ability. At the age of thirteen years he had completed a course of study at University of Pennsylvania, and entered Princeton University, where he took his degree in his fifteenth year, dividing first honors with a much older class-mate. He studied law in Philadelphia three years and being too young to gain admission to the Bar, went, in 1804, to Europe as secretary to Gen. Arm- strong, United States Minister to Court of France, and was present at the corona- tion of Napoleon at Paris. He attended to the details of the Louisiana purchase and later, leaving the legation, traveled through the greater part of Europe, adding to his classical accomplishments a thorough mastery of the modern lan- guages of Europe. Arriving in England, he became secretary to James Monroe, then Minister at London, and remained there until 1807, when he returned to Philadelphia and took up the practice of law. He also devoted considerable time to literary pursuits, becoming associated with Joseph Dennie in the editorship of the Portfolio, 1811, and writing a number of critical essays, biographies, essays on the fine arts, and occasional verses ; among his poetical productions being "An Ode to Bogle", the subject of which was an eccentric waiter and undertaker of Philadelphia. He prepared the original journal of the Lewis and Clark expedi- tion, from narrative and notes of the eminent explorers. He was elected to Penn- sylvania Legislature, 1810, and took an active part in the legislation of that ses- sion. He declined a re-election in the following year, married Jane, daughter of Capt. John Craig, and took up his country residence in Bucks county on land inherited by his wife, which he named Andalusia, though also maintaining a city residence. He was elected to State Senate during second war with England, gave zealous and prompt support to measures for carrying the war to a successful issue, and was one of the earliest advocates of popular education. He prepared the reply to the address of the Hartford Convention, his elaborate report, adopted by the Legislature, being one of the State papers that have attracted universal attention. He was a candidate of the Democratic party for Congress, 1818-20, but was defeated at the polls. In 1819, he was appointed by President Monroe a government director of Bank of the United States, was elected its president in 1823, and took a very prominent part in its affairs until it was closed in 1836, by President Jackson's refusal to renew the charter. He was the first president of its successor, chartered by the state of Pennsylvania, called United States Bank, and served until 1839, when he resigned, and retired to his country seat at Andalusia. He was also appointed by President Monroe under an Act of Con- gress, to collate the laws of foreign countries in reference to commerce, money, weights and measures, etc., and prepared an octavo volume known as the "Com- mercial Digest." In matters of internal improvement and commerce he was one of the most far-seeing statesmen of his age. He took an active interest in agricul- ture and horticulture, after locating at his country seat "Andalusia" in Bensalem township, Bucks county, on the banks of the Delaware, which was his permanent residence from 1821 until his death. He was president of Agricultural Society of Philadelphia many years, and devoted much attention to the improvement of the country residence inherited by his wife, improving the fine old Colonial man- sion, and embellishing the extensive grounds surrounding it by the propogation of rare plants and trees. He was first to introduce the .breeding of Alderney

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cattle, and greatly encouraged the cultivation of the grape, then a new industry in Pennsylvania. Here in his beautiful country retreat, Nicholas Biddle courted the muse, cultivated his fine literary tastes, and gave much attention to the encourage- ment of commerce and of internal improvements. Brilliant in his conception of ideas for the improvement and elevation of his race, and fearless in their advocacy, he left his impress on the community in which he lived. Charles J. Ingersoll, his political opponent, says of him, "Nicholas Biddle was as iron-nerved as his great antagonist, Andrew Jackson, loved his country not less-and money as little." One of his favorite hobbies was Greek architecture, and he is quoted as saying that there were "but two truths in this world, the Bible and Greek architecture." He added to the "Andalusia" mansion the beautiful Doric portico that still adorns it, and his influence was exerted for the adoption of that style for public buildings, and Girard College, modelled after "Andalusia", is a sample of his efforts. His ideas on many subjects, were far in advance of his age, and were not fully appre- ciated during his life time. Gov. Packer later wrote of him: "Whatever may be said of Nicholas Biddle as a politician, or a financier, all agree that on questions of internal improvement and commerce he was one of the most sagacious and far- seeing statesmen of the Union. His fault was, if fault it be, that he was twenty years in advance of the age in which he lived."

Nicholas Biddle died at Andalusia February 27, 1844, at the age of fifty-eight years. His wife survived him.

Issue of Nicholas and Jane (Craig) Biddle :-

Edward Biddle, m. Jane M. (Sarmiento) Craig, and had issue :- Edith Biddle, m. Van Rensselaer ;

Frances Biddle ;

Agnes Biddle, m. Ward;

Edward Biddle, m. Emily Drexel;

Mildred Biddle.

Charles John Biddle, d. Sept. 28, 1873; commissioned Captain in the U. S. A. Feb. 16, 1847; served with distinction during the Mexican War, being made Major by brevet, Sept. 13, 1847, "for gallant and meritorious services at the storming of Chapultepec". His regiment was disbanded Aug. 29, 1848. He was commissioned Colonel of 13th Regiment, United States Volunteers, June 21, 1861, but resigned his commission Dec. II, 1861, having been elected to the United States Congress, in which he served one term. M. Emma Mather, of a prominent Phila. county family, and they had issue :

Emma Biddle, m. Thomas F. Dixon;

Charles Biddle, m. Letitia Glenn ;

John Craig Biddle, m. Delia Sturgess, and had one dau., Delia Biddle ;

Adele Biddle, b. June 15, 1864; m. April 23, 1884, Samuel H. Thomas, of Phila., b. 1853;

Dillon Biddle ;

Alexander Mercer Biddle, m. Harriet Fox, and had issue :- Harriet Biddle ;

Mercer Biddle ; Sydney Biddle;

Katharine Biddle.

HON. CRAIG BIDDLE, b. Jan. 10, 1823; of whom presently ;

Meta Craig Biddle, m. her cousin, Capt. James S. Biddle, of the U. S. N., son of Charles Biddle, (1787-1836), brother of Nicholas, by his wife Anna H. Stokes. They had issue :-

Jane Craig Biddle ;

Nicholas Biddle; m. Eliza I. Butler.

Adele Biddle ;

Jane Biddle.

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HON. CRAIG BIDDLE, youngest son of Nicholas Biddle by his wife Jane Craig, was born in Philadelphia January 10, 1823. He received his preliminary educa- tion under private tutors and entered the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, from which he graduated with degree of A. M., 1841, and from which institution he later received the honorary degree of LL.D. He studied law in Philadelphia, was admitted to the Bar 1844, and practiced in that city until his elevation to the bench, 1875. As a lawyer he was conservative and unostentatious, and he enjoyed the reputation of a safe and learned counsellor, and a logical and successful advocate. He took little part in public affairs in early life, serving one term in General Assembly, 1849. At the outbreak of hostilities, between the States in 1861, he entered the service as a member of the staff of Gen. Robert Patterson, with the rank of Major, and served with him in the Shenandoah campaign of 1861. He was later a member of the staff of Gov. Andrew G. Curtin, assisting in the organization of new regi- ments, and 1863, when Pennsylvania was threatened with invasion by Lee's army, he went out in an Emergency Company for State defence, as a private.

In 1875, he was appointed Judge of Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia, to fill a vacancy, in the fall of the same year was nominated and elected to the same position for the full term of ten years, and was unanimously re-elected in 1885, and 1895, filling the position of presiding Judge of that Court until his resigna- tion in 1907, to accept the position of Prothonotary of Courts of Philadelphia, which position he still fills. Judge Biddle, like his distinguished father, served many years as President of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society, and took active inter- est in its proceedings. He has been many years one of the active members of His- torical Society of Pennsylvania, of which he is vice-president, and has been the vice-president of the Princeton Club several years, and President of the Ritten- house Club since 1891.

CAPT. NICHOLAS BIDDLE, ninth child, and fifth surviving son, of William Bid- dle (who came to Philadelphia from New Jersey 1730, and died there 1756) by his wife Mary Scull, was born in Philadelphia September 10, 1750, and was therefore but six years of age at the death of his father. At the age of thirteen years he shipped on board a trading vessel at Philadelphia, and thereafter fol- lowed the sea, until his tragic death in the service of his country, on the "Ran- dolph", March 7, 1778. After several voyages on trading vessels sailing from the port of Philadelphia, then one of the most important maritime ports in the Colonies; and after being several times shipwrecked, young Biddle went to Eng- land and became a midshipman on board a British Sloop-of-war, commanded by Capt., afterwards Admiral, Sterling; and subsequently was transferred to a vessel in the command of the Hon. Capt. Phipps, which was sent northward, where he first met Horatio Nelson, a volunteer like himself; and both were made coxswain, 1773.

When an armed conflict between the mother country and the American Col. onies became imminent, in 1775, Nicholas Biddle returned to Philadelphia with the determination to enter the service and share the fortunes of his native country in weal or woe. He was placed in command of a galley called the "Franklin," one of the first armed vessels fitted out by the sub-committee of the Committee of Safety, viz., Owen Biddle, (first cousin of Capt. Nicholas) and Robert White; for the defense of the Delaware. He was commissioned Captain

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of the "Franklin", August 1, 1775. Service in this fleet proving too monotonous for Capt. Biddle, he resigned December 9, 1775, and two weeks later, was appointed, by resolution of Congress, Captain of the "Andrea Doria", a little brig of fourteen guns, and with the squadron of Commodore Hopkins, sailed from Del- aware Bay, February 17, 1776, on an expedition against New Providence. Capt. Biddle at once showed special valor and skill in the command of his vessel, the lit- tle brig succeeding in capturing two armed transports loaded with soldiers, and made so many prizes of merchant ships, that he returned to the Delaware with but five of his original crew, the others having been put in charge of the prizes captured, and their places filled from the crews of the captured vessels. Capt. Biddle was made captain of the "Randolph," sailed with that vessel for the Carolina coast, February 1777, and remained in that vicinity in charge of the naval operations there, until the "Randolph" was blown up in an attack on the British ship "Yarmouth" March 7, 1778.

Capt. Biddle was an able and intrepid commander and a skilled navigator, and would have inevitably attained high rank had he been spared. He died single, having, at the time of his tragic death, been engaged to marry a lady of Charles- ton, South Carolina. His naval career, though short, was very brilliant, and his services were highly appreciated by Congress.

COMMODORE JAMES BIDDLE, another naval hero of the Biddle family of Phila- delphia, was a nephew of Capt. Nicholas, being the second surviving son of Hon. Charles Biddle by his wife Hannah Shepard. He was born in Philadelphia, Feb- ruary 18, 1783, and left University of Pennsylvania to accept appointment of midshipman, with his brother Edward, under Commodore Truxton, Septem- ber 1800. He went to the Mediterranean under Commodore Murray, 1802, in the "Constitution", and was later transferred to the "Philadelphia", Capt. Bain- bridge, which on October 31, 1803, ran upon a bar on the coast of Tripoli, and all on board were captured by the Moors, and held in captivity until January, 1805. He was made First Lieutenant of the "Wasp", Capt. Jacob Jones, and October 18, 1812, led the boarders from that vessel when she captured the "Frolic", and received medal from Congress for his gallant services and a sword from his native State, and was promoted to Master Commandant, and placed in charge of a flotilla of boats to defend the Delaware, and later to the command of the "Hornet", with which he became blockaded at New London, and was ordered to dismantle his ship, to avoid capture; he, however, begged permission to run the blockade and succeeded in doing so on November 18, 1814.

He joined the East India Squadron, March 22, 1815, and in the capture of the "Penguim", in a battle fought after the treaty of peace was signed, was treacher- ously shot in the neck by the British crew after they had offered to surrender. At the close of the war he returned to the United States and was promoted to the rank of Captain, and at three different periods held commands in South American waters. In 1817 he took possession of the newly acquired territory of Oregon. In 1826 he signed the commercial treaty with Turkey. 1838-1842, he held the position of Governor of the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia. In 1845, he commanded the East India squadron, and exchanged the ratifications of the first treaty with China, as United States Commissioner to that country. During the Mexican War he took command of the Pacific naval force, having long since

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been promoted to the rank of Commodore. He returned to Philadelphia in March, 1848, and died there October 1, 1848. He was never married.

JOHN BIDDLE, son of William and Lydia (Wardell) Biddle, born at the ances- tral home of the family, "Mount Hope", New Jersey, 1707, left there with his brother William, (whose descendants are traced in the preceding pages), in 1730, and located in Philadelphia, where he was a successful business man many years. He married, March 3, 1736, Sarah, daughter of Owen Owen, a wealthy farmer in the present limits of Montgomery county, a descendant of the family of Owen of Dolly Sene, Wales, one of the most ancient in Great Britain, whose ancestry and descendants of the name are noted in another part of this volume.

Issue of John and Sarah (Owen) Biddle :-

OWEN, b. in Phila. in 1737, d. March 10, 1799, m. Sept. 29, 1760, Sarah Parke; of whom presently ;

CLEMENT, b. Phila., May 10, 1740, d. July 14, 1814, m. (first) Mary Richardson, and (sec- ond) Rebecca Cornell; of whom later ;

Ann, m. Gen. James Wilkinson, U. S. A .;

Sarah, m. (first) James Penrose; (second) John Shaw; (third) Rudolph Tellier ;

Lydia, m. Dr. James Hutchinson, b. Bucks county; Surgeon in Revolutionary War and later distinguished physician in Phila.

OWEN BIDDLE, eldest child of John and Sarah (Owen) Biddle, born at the old Biddle residence, Market street, 1737, on arriving at manhood engaged in the clock and watch-making business in Philadelphia, and later entered into the ship- ping and importing business with his brother Clement. He was a man of high scholastic attainments. He joined early in life the "Junto", which was a continu- ation of the literary circle founded by Dr. Franklin, and, 1763, was appointed with Isaac Paschall to revise the laws of the society, which then adopted the name of the "American Society for the Promoting and Propogation of Useful Knowl- edge", which fused with the American Philosophical Society, 1768. and of which he was one of the most distinguished members, among whom were his brother Clement Biddle, Edmund Physick, Isaac and Moses Bertram, Nicholas Waln, and David Rittenhouse. At the time of the transit of Venus, June 3, 1769, Owen Biddle was assigned to the observatory at Cape Henlopen, and his observations were favorably commented upon by the most noted astronomers of Europe and America. He also conducted observations of the eclipse of the sun, June 24, 1778. He was elected one of the curators of the Philosophical Society, January 5, 1770; one of its secretaries, January 1, 1773 ; delivered the annual oration, March 2, 1781, and was elected one of the councillors, January 4, 1782. He was an original member of the Company for Encouraging the Culture of Silk in America, 1770.

He was from the first an ardent patriot in opposition to the oppressive measures of the mother country. Both he and his brother Clement were among the earliest signers of the Non-importation Agreement of 1765, he was a delegate to Provin- cial Conference held at Philadelphia, January 23, 1775, became a most active member of Committee of Safety, and one of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of July and September, 1776, which framed the constitution under which Pennsylvania was governed from that date until 1790. He had charge of the publication of the Declaration of Independence in the counties of Bucks, Ches- ter, Lancaster, Berks and Northampton. Became a member of first Board of War, March 13, 1777, and was a member of Council of Safety, organized the

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same date. On July 6, 1775, he was one of the Committee appointed by Com- mittee of Safety, of which he was a member, to superintend the construction of armed boats and obstructions for the defense of the Delaware, and on July 14, 1775, was ordered to secure four tons of grape shot in possession of the city. On August 31, 1775, he was directed to procure a seal for the Board of War, "the size of a Dollar with a Cap of Liberty, and the motto 'This is my right and I will defend it.'" He was constantly on committees to procure ammunition, stores and clothing for the use of the army in the field, and in this work co-operated with his brother Clement who had actively entered the ranks and was Deputy Commis- sioner of Forage and Supplies for the Pennsylvania Militia. He was one of the eighty merchants who became personally responsible for 260,000 pounds of sup- plies for the army. He was appointed, February 1I, 1782, to run the boundary line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, which settled the long standing dispute on that question with Virginia. In his ardent support of the rights of his country- men, his financial interest, largely centered in the foreign, West India and Coast trade, was completely wrecked. Three of his vessels being captured and destroyed with their cargoes, he made an assignment of all his property for the benefit of his creditors, January 8, 1783, but his assets proved more than sufficient to pay his debts and left him a small surplus. He had been disowned by the Society of Friends for his activity in warlike measures, and, 1781, was one of the organizers of the society of "Free Quakers", with about one hundred others. However, on May 30, 1783, he sought re-instatement in the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting and again became one of its active members. He took a prominent part in educational matters and was one of the first to agitate the question of establishing a boarding school for instruction in the higher branches; which led to the establishing of Westtown Boarding School in Chester county, under the care of Friends, and he was one of the first committee in charge of the school, October 3, 1794, and served until his death, March 10, 1799. He had married, September 29, 1760, Sarah Parke, born Chester county, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1742, died August 16, 1794, daughter of Thomas and Jane (Edge) Parke, and granddaughter of Thomas Parke, born in Ireland, 1660, who with the greater part of his family came to Pennsylvania in 1724.

Thomas Parke Sr., a member of the Society of Friends, was living in 1720, at either Ballilean, Blaughmoor, or Coolis Nachtah, Ireland, (being a landholder in all three places) with wife Rebecca and ten children, seven of whom accompanied him to America. They embarked from Dublin, Ireland, May 21, 1724, in ship "Sizargh", of White Haven, and arrived in the Delaware at Chester, August 21, 1724. After remaining about three months at Chester, he purchased 500 acres of land in East Caln township, Chester county, and removed thereon. He was an elder of Caln Meeting and active in their affairs. He died Imo. 31, 1738, and his widow survived him about twelve years.

Issue of Thomas and Rebecca Parke :-

Mary, b. July 18, 1693, m. Thomas Valentine, and preceded her parents to Pennsylvania ; Robert, b. Jan. 23, 1695, a storekeeper at Dublin, 1720-I, accompanied his parents to Pennsylvania, and d. unm. Feb. 9, 1737;

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Colonial and revolutionary families of Pennsylvania; genealogical and personal memoirs, Vol. I, Part 23

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed; Jordan, Wilfred, b. 1884, ed Publication date: 1911 Publisher: New York, NY : Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 710

Author: Jordan, John Woolf, 1840-1921, ed; Jordan, Wilfred, b. 1884, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, NY : Lewis Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 710