USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume II > Part 17
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In addition to his chairmanship of the boards of the Bethlehem Steel Company, the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, and the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Mr. Schwab is a director of many large corporations. He is a member of numerous clubs, a director in the American Iron and Steel Insti- tute, and a member of the Iron and Steel Institute of London, England.
Besides his residence in Bethlehem and his Riverside Drive home in
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New York, Mr., Schwab has one of the most beautiful summer homes in the country at Loretto, Pennsylvania, where he lived as a boy.
No review of Mr. Schwab's activities could be even fairly descriptive without at least a brief allusion to some of the other things that, aside from. his achievements as engineer, financier, manufacturer, organizer, adminis- · trator and executive, add interest to his career and personality. Few know ' that he is a finished musician, quite capable himself of wielding the leader's baton, and that upon occasion he has done so in the most accomplished manner. Occasionally, too, he is induced to contribute a short article on some current topic of interest. And a careful resumé of his characteristics brings out what at first does not attract the attention of the most careful observer. This is his wonderful mastery of himself. Amidst scenes and surroundings well calculated to shake the strongest in time of stress and strain, he moves calm, serene, imperturbable.
EUGENE GIFFORD GRACE-As the history of the Bethlehem com- panies, steel and shipbuilding, is the most remarkable in the industrial world, so do the records of their officials furnish a chapter rich in accomplishment beyond precedent, and of interest to everyone within the widespread sphere of influence of these gigantic industries. In no small measure is this true of · Eugene Gifford Grace, president of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the Bethlehem Steel Company, and the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd. During the great expansion period of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in. . times of peace and throughout the stupendous growth of this and allied corporations in the course of the European War, volumes of space in news -. papers and periodicals have been devoted to the discussion of these corpora- tions and their personnel. This record, a narrative of the life of Mr. Grace, takes its place among the business and industrial leaders of Northampton county, the scene of his schooling and early industrial labors, where he is esteemed and honored as an adopted son.
Eugene Gifford , Grace, son of John W. and Rebecca (Morris) Grace, was born at Goshen, Cape May county, New Jersey, August 27, 1876, his father a retired sea captain and merchant. He·prepared for college. at Pen- nington Seminary, Pennington, New Jersey, then entering the electrical engineering department of Lehigh University. At Lehigh he devoted him- self to his courses and athletics with a degree of success in both that was unusual, making the varsity baseball team in his first year and playing every. year thereafter, captaining the team for two years, and distinguishing himself as well in scholastic work, graduating with valedictory honors and the award of the Wilbur scholarship and the prize in mathematics.
Immediately after graduation, there began the connection with the Beth- lehem Steel Company that has endured to the present, and that has taken him from the place of a minor employee to the presidency of its vast interests. He became a member of the force of the electrical department, June 29, 1899, his first work the operation of an electric crane. On January 16, 1900, he was transferred to the steel-making department, and on June 8, 1902, was appointed superintendent of yards and transportation. One of his duties in his new capacity was to systematize. the handling of material in the im- mense yards and to plan the best organization and application of the general labor and transportation facilities and forces. The first part of this he did so thoroughly and at the saving of so large a sum, that it was the direct cause of his receiving from Mr. Schwab a commission to reorganize the Juragua Iron Company of Cuba, a subsidiary concern supplying much of the iron ore used by the Bethlehem Steel Company. While yard superin- tendent, he caused the planting of grass, flowers and shrubs wherever practi- cable, and did much to relieve the dreary aspect of the smoke-blackened plant, a feature that has been considerably enlarged upon since inaugurated by him.
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From September 2, 1905, until February 21, 1906, he was general super- intendent of the Cuban concern located at Santiago, on the latter date enter- ing upon the duties of assistant to the general superintendent of the Bethile- hem' Steel Company in charge of the construction of the vast Saucon plant. His appointment as general superintendent followed on June 27, 1906, and on October 22, 1908, he was elected general manager and a director of the Bethlehem Steel Company. He was elected to the directorate of the Beth- lehem Steel Corporation, April 4, 1911, and on September IS, of the same year, became vice-president and general manager of the Bethlehem Steel Company. Succeeding to the presidency on April 1, 1913, there were added to his weighty responsibilities the presidency of the Bethlehem Steel Cor- poration, February 17, 1916, and the presidency of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, October 30, 1917.
Mr. Grace has been the close intimate of Mr. Schwab throughout his entire career, and with him has worked in the formation and execution of the plans that made the Bethlehem steel works the industrial marvel of the world. With him, also, he entered into shipbuilding on a scale that com- pletely dwarfed all previous enterprise in that line, and successfully completed emergency construction incredible in prospect. Through their wonderful production of munitions, ordnance, ships and all of the sinews of war, the Bethlehem interests have been for many months a familiar topic to every school boy, while men old in the steel and shipbuilding lines stood in amaze- ment at the audacious courage of the Bethlehem leaders in the attempt of the seemingly impossible.
The predominating characteristic of Mr. Grace in his rise to commanding position has been his capacity for unremitting toil, and at all times he has been at his post, accepting increasingly heavy duties and responsibilities, first for the prosperity and advancement of the company in which his life work has been done, and then with the compelling incentive of service to his country in her direst need. During the participation of the United States in the World War, he took time from pressing affairs to organize and lead a series of demonstrations of labor's patriotic loyalty to the cause, and in a great degree aided in the establishment of production records in the Bethlehem plants, impossible without the stimulus of a national crisis and the advantage of sympathetic leadership. In the development of departments for the special service of the government, and in co-operation with the War and Navy departments in the production of cannon, armor-plate, ships and ammunition, Mr. Grace worked in close touch with the Administration, placing at its disposal the resources and records of the Bethlehem plants for the most equitable and satisfactory arrangements. He was called upon by Cabinet members and committees of the House and Senate for technical information, and in every manner within his power devoted himself to the common cause- Victory.
A national, and in many respects a world figure, Mr. Grace has relin- quished no part of his interest in the city of his adoption. He is the loyal friend of many of Bethlehem's organizations for charity and social service, and is the generous supporter and trustee of St. Luke's Hospital. His attach- ment to Lehigh University has been sincere and sustained, and he is an active member of its board of trustees. He is a member of the Northampton County Country Club, and is devoted to all out-of-door sports. In 1917 he won the Hay Cup (the championship trophy) in his Country Club golf tourna- ment. His social memberships other than local, and many golf and country clubs throughout the East, are in the Metropolitan Club of New York City, and the Maryland Club of Baltimore, Maryland. He is a director of the Guar- anty Trust Company of New York, and is also a member and director of the American Iron and Steel Institute and the Iron and Steel Institute of Great Britain, and belongs to the American Institute of Mining Engineers, and the Bankers' Club of America.
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Mr. Grace married, June 12, 1902, Marion, daughter of Charles F. and Emeline Brown, of South Bethlehem. Their three children are: Emeline Grace, Charles Brown Grace, and Eugene Gifford Grace, Jr.
JUDGE WILLIAM S. KIRKPATRICK-New England had the Pilgrim Fathers, New York the Protestant Emigration and the Huguenot refugees from France, all of whom aided in laying the foundations of the great nation and moulding our free institutions. Pennsylvania has been credited so largely to the Society of Friends, beginning with William Penn, that suffi- cient credit has not been given to the Presbyterian emigrants from Scotland and the North of Ireland, known as the Scotch and the Scotch-Irish, for the powerful influence for good which they have exerted. Thoroughly trained in religious creed and doctrine. familiar with the Bible from youth, and chastened by fierce persecution, they were among the firmest and most intelli- gent supporters of Evangelical religion, popular education and good govern- ment. One of these families which came in the early part of the eighteenth century was the Kirkpatrick family, headed by Alexander, who settled near Baskingridge, Somerset county, New Jersey ; he is the American ancestor of Judge William S. Kirkpatrick, of Easton, Pennsylvania, ex-congressman, ex-presiding judge of the Third Judicial District of Pennsylvania, cx-attorney general of the State of Pennsylvania, a lawyer recognized as one of the ablest practitioners in the State, and one of Pennsylvania's most eminent citizens.
The Kirkpatrick family possessed estates in Scotland in the ninth cen- tury, the earliest of record, Ivone Kirkpatrick, who was a witness to a charter of Robert Bruce. The family bore arms thus described :
Arms-Argent, a saltire and chief, azure, the last charged with three cushions, or. Crest-A hand holding a dagger, in pale, distilling drops of blood. Motto-I make sure.
The American ancestor, Alexander Kirkpatrick, was born in Watties Neath, Dumfrieshire, Scotland. After the birth of his fifth child, David, he moved with his wife Elizabeth, sons Andrew and David, to Belfast, Ireland ; this was about the year 1725. He enjoyed the greater liberty of conscience there until the spring of 1736, when he came from Belfast to America. Thir- teen weeks were consumed in the passage, his vessel finally landing at New Castle, Delaware. Alexander and his family finally settled near Baskingridge, New Jersey, where he erected a log house by a spring of water, by the side of what later was known as Mine Brook. There he lived until his death, leaving a goodly estate to his family, naming in his will his wife Elizabeth, sons Andrew, David and Alexander, son-in-law Duncan McEowen, youngest daughter Mary, and grandson Alexander. Alexander and Elizabeth Kirk- patrick were the parents of three sons and two daughters: I. Andrew, who inherited the "Mine Brook" homestead, but who later sold it to his brother David, and removed to Washington county, Pennsylvania; he married, in Somerset county, New Jersey, Margaret Gaston, daughter of Joseph Gaston, of Sussex county, and they were the parents of a son, Alexander, and of seven daughters. 2. Alexander, who became a merchant of Pcapack, New Jersey ; married Margaret Anderson, of Bound Brook, New Jersey. 3. Jennet, married Duncan McEowen, and removed to the State of Maryland. 4. Mary; married John Bigger, and had two sons, John and David, also four daughters. 5. David, of further mention, ancestor of Judge William S. Kirkpatrick.
David Kirkpatrick, son of Alexander Kirkpatrick, was born at Watties Neath, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, February 17, 1724, died at Mine Brook, Somer- set county, New Jersey, March 19, 1814. He became owner of the homestead by purchase from his elder brother Andrew, and there resided all the years following. He was a man of great energy and sound judgment, a devoted Christian and sterling citizen, serving in the State Legislature. He built
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the substantial stone house at the homestead, which has stood since 1765. He married, March 31, 1748, Mary McEowen, born in Argyleshire, Scotland, August 1, 1728, died November 2, 1795, daughter of Daniel McEowen. They were the parents of four sons and four daughters: I. Elizabeth, born Septem- ber 27, 1749, died December 13, 1829; married (first) Henry Sloan, (second) Capt. John Maxwell, of Remington, New Jersey, brother of Gen. William Maxwell, who never married; she was Capt. John Maxwell's third wife. 2. Alexander, through whom Judge Kirkpatrick traces descent, of further mention. 3. Hugh, born September 2, 1753, died unmarried, January 9, 1782. 4. Andrew, born February 17, 1756, died January 7, 1831 ; he was a member of the New Jersey Assembly in 1797, became Justice of the Supreme Court of the State in 1797, Chief Justice in 1803, a learned and able jurist whose decisions stand ; married Jane, daughter of Col. B. Bayard, of New Brunswick. 5. David (captain), born November 1, 1758, died December 11, 1828, a life- long resident of Mine Brook; married Mary Fanard, of Morris county. 6. Mary, born November 23, 1761, died July 1, 1842; married (first) Hugh Gaston, Jr. (his third wife), and (second) April 15, 1819, George Todd. 7. Ann, born March 10, 1764, married Capt. Moses Este, of Morristown, New Jersey. 8. Jennet, born July 9, 1769, married Dickenson Miller, of Somerville, New Jersey.
Alexander Kirkpatrick, eldest son of David Kirkpatrick, son of Alexander Kirkpatrick, the founder, was born at the homestead in Somerset county, New Jersey, September 3, 1751, died at his farm in the northern part of Warren township, Somerset county, New Jersey, September 24. 1827. He married Sarah Carle, born 1760, died February 15, 1842, daughter of Judge John Carle, of Long Hill, Morris county, New Jersey. After their marriage the young couple settled upon a farm of four hundred acres, set off from the large landed estate of Judge Carle, and thirteen children were born to them : I. David, born December 24, 1776, married Sarah Cooper, of Long Hill, New Jersey. 2. Mary, born April 25, 1778, married Lafferty Cross, of Baskingridge, New Jersey. 3. Jacob, of further mention, grandfather of Judge William S. Kirkpatrick. 4. John, born July 24, 1783, married Mary Ayers, and died December 11, 1855. 5. Sarah, born September 22, 1787, married William Annin. 6. Elizabeth, born September 21, 1789, married (first) Alexander Vail, (second) William Gaston. 7. Lydia, born December 20, 1791, married Peter Demott. 8. Anne, born January 27, 1794, married John Stelle. 9. Re- becca, born June 15, 1796, married Squire Terrill. 10. Jane, born May 20, 1798, married John Cory. II. Alexander, born August 10, 1800, married Miss Tingley. 12. Martha, born October 8, 1802, married Israel Squires. 13. Robert Finley, born July 22, 1805, married Charity Terrill.
Jacob Kirkpatrick (Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick, D.D.) was born at the pater- nal home, six miles southeast of Baskingridge, Somerset county, New Jersey, August 8, 1780, died at the parsonage of the Amwell United First Church, Amwell, New Jersey, May 2, 1866. His boyhood was spent upon the farm and in attendance upon the district school, his classical education beginning in 1799, when he became a member of the first class of four boys at Basking- ridge Academy, their teacher, Rev. Robert Finley, pastor of the village Presbyterian church. There he remained until 1802, when he entered the junior class of the College of New Jersey (Princeton), there continuing until graduated in September, 1804. He studied law for three years, then relin- quishing the law ond consecrating himself to the ministry. There being no theological seminaries, he studied under Rev. John Woodhull, D.D., of Free- hold, New Jersey, for two years, then, on August 8, 1809, was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Brunswick. He was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian church, June 20, 1810, and on June 16, 1815, he was installed pastor of the Amwell (New Jersey) Church, the ceremony being held in the Old Stone Church.
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Dr. Kirkpatrick's field of labor originally extended from the Delaware river at Lambertville to the Somerset county line. On this wide field he "made full proof of his ministry," in cold and heat, sunshine and storm, by day and by night, doing the work of a missionary. Often he was compelled to do a large part of the study on horseback, or in his carriage when riding from place to place within the limits of his parish or to answer calls from a distance. Whatever reputation he might have gained as a finished orator or a profound scholar was sacrificed to calls upon the sick, the dying and. the afflicted; to social visits to the families of his charge ; to religious meet- ings on week-day evenings and to the preaching of funeral serions beyond as well as within the bounds of his own parish. So great was his popularity as a preacher that his services were in constant demand, especially for re- vivals of religion. This evangelistic work in various New Jersey and Penn- sylvania cities and towns would fill up no small part of his fifty-six years in the Christian ministry, and from that labor a most bountiful harvest of souls were gathered. Mild, easy and courteous of manner, he was rigidly exact in the keeping of a promise, the meeting of an engagement and fulfilling of any appointment. He abounded in shrewd sayings and humorous anec- dotes, and wherever he went he was welcome; he preached about eleven thousand sermons ; during his ministry attended nine hundred funerals; held ten revivals in his own church and received about seven hundred members into the Amwell First and Second churches, of which he was in sole charge as pastor until 1853, when he relinquishied one hundred dollars of his salary to secure the settlement of a colleague. For more than forty years he preached alternately in the United First and Second churches, then until his death was pastor of the Amwell United First Church. He was one of the founders of the lIunterdon County Bible Society in 1816, and for many years, until his death, its secretary. He was an energetic promoter of the Temperance Reformation, and to his people was a helper in every way. He wrote their wills, deeds and leases, gave them such legal counsel as he was able, and with rare tact advised them in both temporal and spiritual matters. He resided in the parsonage at Ringoes, and there his people would come to him as children would come to a father, and there he passed quietly away, his arms folded upon his breast. Six years previously, he preached an histori- cal sermon in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of his generation.
Dr. Kirkpatrick married, December 20, 1809, Mary Burroughs Howell, daughter of John Sutfin, of Freehold, New Jersey, who survived him. He was ordained to the ministry the June following, and soon they were settled in the village of Ringoes, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, where, on Decem- ber 30, 1859, they celebrated the golden anniversary of their wedding day. In his address to the guests on that occasion he said that since his own mar- riage he had married six hundred and thirty couples, and in some cases had officiated at the marriage of parents, children and grandchildren (at his deatlı about seven years later, the number was seven hundred and five couples). Dr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick were the parents of thirteen children: 1. Alexander. 2. David Bishop. 3. Dr. Henry Augustus, a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, in practice at Stanton, New Jersey, until his death, September 29, 1851. 4. Calvin. 5. Newton, of further mention. 6. Charles Whitehead. 7. Mary. 8. Lydia B., married Dr. Justus Lessey, of Philadelphia. 9. Sarah, married J. Gardiner Bowne, of Oakdale, New Jersey. 10. Frances J., mar- ried Edward H. Schenck, of New Brunswick, New Jersey. II. Anne F., married Henry Schenck, of New Brunswick, New Jersey. 12. Elizabeth G., married Martin Nevius, of Blawenburg, New Jersey. 13. Rev. Jacob (2), born October 6, 1828, died October 27, 1859, a gifted minister of the Presby- terian church, pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church of Trenton, New Jersey ; he married, in 1853, Sarah Catherine Van Liew, born June 14, 1827, died March 20, 1859.
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Newton Kirkpatrick, son of Rev. Jacob, son of Alexander, son of David, son of Alexander Kirkpatrick, the founder, was born at the parsonage in the village of Ringoes, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, March 23, 1820, died in Easton, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1863. He was a pupil and afterwards an assistant teacher in the well known academy of Rev. John Vanderveer, D.D .. at Easton, and also attended Lafayette College as a student therein. He was afterwards, for many years, a successful and highly esteemed teacher in the public schools of Easton. He married, early in 1843, Susan Sebring, born September 18, 1822, died February 23, 1909, a daughter of Judge Wil- liam L. Sebring, a prominent lawyer and distinguished citizen of Easton. There were three children of this marriage, two sons, William S., of further mention, and Morris, and a daughter, Viola, intermarried with George R. Coc.
William Sebring Kirkpatrick, son of Newton and Susan (Sebring) Kirk- patrick, was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1844, and there still resides, engaged in the active practice of his profession. He obtained his early preparatory education in the public schools of Easton, then entered Lafayette College, where he pursued his studies in the classical course, re- ceiving his academic degree of A.B. as of the class of 1863. He at once began the study of law under the preceptorship of Hon. H. D. Maxwell, a former president judge of the Third Judicial District of Pennsylvania, and on Octo- ber 5, 1865, was admitted to the Northampton county bar. He immediately began the practice of the law in Easton and so continues, having closely con- fined himself to the law for over half a century. His practice has always been large, extending to all State and Federal courts of the district, as well as to the Supreme Court of the United States, and to him have come the honors and emoluments of a profession which richly rewards her faithful, capable sons.
For several years during his early career at the bar Judge Kirkpatrick was solicitor for the city of Easton, an office which brought him prominently before the people and gave him instant reputation as a young lawyer of brilliant promise. That reputation he constantly added to, and early in 1874 a vacancy occuring, he was appointed president judge of the Third Judicial District of Pennsylvania, a high judicial position he ably filled until 1875. the period for which he was appointed then expiring. After fifty years of practice he is a recognized leader of the Northampton bar and head of the law firm of Kirkpatrick & Maxwell.
Judge Kirkpatrick, since attaining his majority, has always been an adherent of the Republican Party ; he was frequently a delegate to the State conventions of his party, and in 1882 presided over the State Convention at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as temporary chairman. He was a delegate to the National Republican Convention of 1884. held in Chicago, which nominated James G. Blaine for the presidency, and by appointment of Governor Beaver, held the office of attorney general of the State of Pennsylvania from January 18, 1887, until January, 1891. He was the nominee of the party for the Fifty-Fifth Congress from the Eighth Pennsylvania District in 1896, and al- though that district had been uniformly Democratic by majorities running into the thousands, it gave Judge Kirkpatrick a majority of three hundred and twenty-nine. He served his term with honor, then returned to his first and only professional love, the law.
An alumnus of Lafayette and at one time president of the Alumni Asso- ciation, he has always retained a deep interest in his alma mater, and has displayed that interest in her service. During the years from 1877 to 1884. he was professor of municipal law at the college, and since 1890 has been a member of the board of trustees, and is at present the vice-president of the board. Twice he has been called to the temporary presidency of the college, serving altogether as such for about two years, and Lafayette has no more loyal son. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Pennsyl-
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