History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 75

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992

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In 1814, Mr. Watson was elected cashier of the Bank of Germantown, which position he held till 1847, when he was chosen treasurer and sec- retary of the Philadel- phia, Germantown and JOHN FANNING WATSON. Norristown Railroad Company. In 1859, being at that time eighty years Rev. William M. Engles edited the Presbyterian from 1834 till his death, Nov. 27, 1867. He published tionary," "Book of Poetry," "Sailor's Companion," "Sick-Room Devotions," "Soldier's Pocket-Book." of age, he retired from all active business. In 1820 he began to collect antiquarian material, the first : "Records of the Presbyterian Church," " Bible Dic- being history and legends of Germantown, though none of them were printed until about 1828, when some extracts from his manuscript books were printed Thomas Evans, in 1828, published "An Exposition of the Faith of the Religious Society; of Friends," etc., and from 1837 to 1854 edited, in conjunction with his brother William, "The Friends' Library," a collection of the standard religious writings of the society, in fourteen volumes. He died May 25, 1868. in the Register of Pennsylvania. In 1830 the first edition of his " Annals of Philadelphia" was issued, the same " being a Collection of Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and its Inhabitants from the Days of the Pilgrim Founders; also, Olden Time Researches and Reminiscences of New York Thomas Fisher, poet and scientific writer, was born Jan. 21, 1801, and died Feb. 12, 1856. He published a " Dial of the Seasons," 1835; " Mathematics Sim- plified and made Attractive," 1853; and in 1850, "Song of the Sea-Shells, and other Poems." Red- City in 1828." It was in one volume of eight hun- dred pages, and illustrated by lithographs. In 1842 the work was republished in two volumes, revised and enlarged, and again, in 1856, he made a final revision,

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HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA.

wood Fisher published several volumes on "Political came principal of the academy at Wilmington, Del., in Economy." Myles Fisher published an " Answer to Paine's Age of Reason."

George R. Crooks. D.D., lexicographer, was born Feb. 3, 1822, and in association with Professor Mc- Clintock, of Dickinson College, prepared Latin and Greek text-books. He published an edition of But- ler's "Analogy."

Thomas Earle, a writer on law, died July 14, 1849. He removed to Philadelphia in 1817, and engaged in mercantile pursuits for a few years, then studied law, and commenced practice. He edited successively the Columbian Observer, Standard, Pennsylvanian, and Mechanics' Free Press and Reform Advocate. He published an " Essay on Penal Law." an " Essay on the Rights of States to Alter and Annul their Char- ters,""A Treatise on Railroads and Internal Commu- nications," 1830, and a " Life of Benjamin Lnndy." At his death he had nearly completed a history of the French Revolution and a translation of Sismondi's "Italian Republics."

Willis Gaylord Clark, a miscellaneous writer, died June 12, 1841. He gave carly indications of lite- rary talent ; established a weekly journal in 1830, which was soon abandoned. He hecame co-editor with Dr. Brantley of the Columbian Star, a religious and literary weekly, and was subsequently, until his death, editor and proprietor of the Philadelphia Ga- zette. In September, 1833, he recited his longest poem, "The Spirit of Life," before the Franklin Society. In 1844 a volume of his literary remains, including " Ollapodiana," poems, and magazine arti- cles, was published. He was a frequent contributor to the annuals and magazines, particularly the Knick- erbocker.

Dr. Jacob Green, physicist, was born July 26, 1790, and died Feb. 1, 1841. He graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, and in his boyhood made a large collection of plants. He published soon after leaving the university, in connection with a young friend, a treatise on electricity, which gave him a reputation. He also studied law, and was licensed to practice, but in 1818 accepted a pro- fessorship in New Jersey College of Chemistry, Phi- losophy, and Natural History. He was profes- sor of Chemistry in the Jefferson Medical College from 1822 to the close of his life. He published "('hemical Diagrams ;" "Chemical Philosophy," 1829; "Treatise on Electro-Magnetism ;" " Astro- nomical Recreations ;" " A Syllabus of a Course on Chemistry ;" two works on "Trilobites," with wax illustrations ; a work on the "Botany of the United States, with a list of the Botanical Productions of New York ;" " Notes of a Traveller," giving an ac- count of a visit to Europe in 1828, three volumes, 1831; " Diseases of the Skin," 8vo, 1841; and con- tributions to Silliman's Journal.

Robert Patterson, LL.D., born in the north of Ire- land, May 30, 1743, came to America in 1768, and be-

1774. Ile was a brigade major in the Revolutionary war, professor of Mathematics in the University of Pennsylvania in 1779-1814, and some time vice-pro- vost. In 1805 he was made director of the United States Mint, and from 1819 till his death, July 22, 1824, was president of the American Philosophical Society, to whose Transactions he was a frequent contributor. He published "The Newtonian Sys- tem," 1808; "Treatise on Arithmetic," 1819; and edited Ferguson's " Mechanics," 1806 ; his " Astron- omy," 1809; John Webster's "Natural Philosophy," 1808; Ewing's " Natural Philosophy, with Biograph- ical Sketch," 1809. A record of the families of Robert Patterson the elder was privately printed in 1847.

John Foster Kirk, editor of Lippincott's Magazine, was born at Fredericton, New Brunswick, in 1824, and came to the United States in 1842. He was secretary to William H. Prescott during the last ten years of the historian's life. He lived in Boston until 1870, when he removed to Philadelphia. He has written some fine literary and historical articles for the North American Review, Atlantic Monthly, and Lippincott's Magazine. His chief work is the " History of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy." He has also prepared a revised edition of Mr. Prescott's works, and an American edition of Palgrave's "Golden Treasury of the best English Songs and Lyrics."

John Cassin, a prominent ornithologist, was born near Chester, Pa., Sept. 6, 1813, but removed to this city in 1834, and, excepting a few years of mercantile pursuit, devoted himself to ornithology. He contrib- uted to scientific journals, and published " Birds of California and Texas," a "Synopsis of the Birds of North America," " Ornithology of the United States Exploring Expedition," "Ornithology of the Japan Exploring Expedition," "Ornithology of Gilliss' Astronomical Expedition to Chili," and the chapters on the rapacious and wading birds in "The Ornithol- ogy of the Pacific Railroad Explorations and Sur- veys." He died Jan. 10, 1869. He was of a distin- guished Quaker family, Commodore John Cassin being his great-uncle.

Francis J. Grund was long a resident of Philadel- phia, and a frequent contributor to the public prints. He made his first impression as a Washington cor- respondent of the Public Ledger. He established The Age, and was the author of "The Americans in their Moral, Social, and Political Relations," 1837 ; " Aris- tocracy in America," 1839; " Algebraic Problems ;" elements of " Chemistry," and of "Natural Philoso- phy ;" and "Plane and Solid Geometry."

John Church Hamilton, son of Gen. Alexander Hamilton, was born in Philadelphia in 1792. He was the author of " Memoirs of Alexander Hamilton," 2 vols. Svo, 1831 ; " Works of Alexander Hamilton," 7 vols. Svo, 181 ; " History of the Republic," 2 vols. Svo, 1858.

Henry Charles Lea, son of Isaac Lea, and grand-

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AUTHORS AND LITERATURE OF PHILADELPHIA.

son of Mathew Carey, was born Sept. 19, 1825, and represented the publishing honse of Mathew Carey & Sons, established at the close of the last century. He is the author of " Superstition and Force," etc., 1866; " Studies in Church History," etc., 1869 ; " His- tory of Clerical Celibacy," etc. His father, Isaac Lea, LL.D., the naturalist, was born at Wilming- ton, Del., March 4, 1792, and joined the publishing firm of Mathew Carey, his father-in-law, in 1821, retiring in 1851. In 1815 he became a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, and shortly after published his first paper in the Journal of this acad- emy, describing the minerals in the neighborhood of Philadelphia. In 1827 he began a series of memoirs on new forms of fresh-water and land shells, which were continued for many years. In 1833 he published "Contributions to Geology," and in 1858 was elected president of the Academy of Natural Sciences. In 1851 he published a " Description of a New Genus of the Family Melaniana," "Fossil Footmarks in the Red Sandstones of Pottsville," and "Synopsis of the Family of Naiades." He also contributed many valu- able articles to the journals of the country. The firms succeeding Mathew Carey have been Mathew Carey & Sons, Carey, Lea & Carey, Carey & Lea, Carey, Lea & Blanchard, Lea & Blanchard, Blanchard & Lea, and Henry C. Lea.

Thomas Dunn English, born June 29, 1819, received the degree of M.D. from the University of Pennsyl- vania in 1839, and, having subsequently studied law, was in 1842 admitted to the bar. He wrote a novel, entitled "Walter Woolfe," and edited and con- tributed to a variety of journals and magazines. About 1842 he wrote for the New York Mirror the song " Ben Bolt." In 1848 he edited a humorous periodical, entitled the John Donkey, and, in connec- tion with G. G. Foster, a work on the French Revo- lution of that date. He wrote a series of national ballads for Harper's Magazine, and is the author of numerous dramas, one of which, "The Mormons," has been printed. In 1855 he published a collection of his miscellaneous poems.

Dr. Benjamin Howard Rand was born in 1827, and graduated at Jefferson College in 1848. In 1853 he was professor of Chemistry in Philadelphia Medical College, and lecturer on Chemistry in the Franklin Institute. In 1864 he was professor of Chemistry in Jefferson Medical College. He was the author of "Medical Chemistry for Students," 1855; "Elements of Medical Chemistry," 1866. He edited Metcalfe's "Caloric," 2 vols., 1859, and contributed to medical periodicals.

Robert Montgomery Bird, born at New Castle, Del., in 1803, was educated in Philadelphia for the medical profession, but early turned his attention to literature. He contributed to the Monthly Maga- zine, and wrote three tragedies, "The Gladiator," "Oraloosa," and "The Broker of Bogota." His novels were "Galavar," 1834; "The Iofidel," 1835;

"The Hawks of Hawk Hollow ;" "Nick of the Woods," 1837 ; " Peter Pilgrim," 1838; and " Robin Day," 1839. In the same year he retired to his native town, but for a few years before his death, Jan. 22, 1854, he edited the Philadelphia North American, of which he was a part proprietor.

George W. Carpenter, of Germantown, ranked high as a geologist, and was a member of many European scientific societies. He was the author of " Essays on Materia Medica" and " Medical Chest Dispensa- tory," and was a contributor to the Journal of the Medical Sciences.

Joseph R. Chandler, a native of Kingston, Mass., educated to the law, member of Congress from Phila- delphia from 1849 to 1855 and from 1858 to 1861, and afterward United States minister to Naples, was a con- spicuous literary character for many years. When he first came to the city he was a teacher, and in 1821 published " A Grammar of the English Language."

Josh Chandler

He was a frequent contributor to the United States Gazette, and for some years was editor and proprietor of that journal and an editor of the North American, in which it was merged. He was a prolific writer, sometimes of fiction, short tales, and sketches, and of many essays upon public and moral subjects, with addresses and speeches.

Charles J. Peterson, a native of Philadelphia, for many years proprietor of Peterson's Magazine, was editor at one time of the Evening Bulletin and an editorial contributor for the Public Ledger. His pub- lished works are " The Military Heroes of the Revolu- tion, with a Narrative of the War of Independence," 1842; "The Military Heroes of the War of 1812 and of the War with Mexico," 1848; "Grace Dudley ; or, Arnold at Saratoga," 1849; "Cruising in the Last War," 1849; "Naval History of the United States," 1850; "The Valley Farm ;" "Kate Aylesford ;" " History of the Refugees," 1855; "Mabel; or, Dark-

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HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA.

ness and Dawn," 1857; "The Old Stone Mansion," 1859; also a continuation from 1840 to 1856 of Charles von Rotteck's "History of the World." 1856, and numerous tales and critical articles in magazines and newspapers.

John Frost, a native of Kennebunk, Me., and graduate of Harvard, came to Philadelphia in 1828, and was appointed professor of Belles-Lettres in the Central High School in 1838. He was very indus- trious, and the author of a large number of books for the use of schools and young people, with historical and biographical compilations.

Thomas Buchanan Read, the artist-poet, who spent a large portion of his life in Phila- delphia, was born in Chester Co., Pa., March 12, 1822. He removed to the city in 1846, but died in New York, May 11, 1872. His latest poems were "The House by the Sea," 1855; "Sylvia ; or, The Last Shepherd, an Eclogue, and other Poems, in- cluding Lyrics and Airs from Alp- land," 1857; "The Wagoner of the Al- leghanies, a Poem of the Days of Sev- enty.Six," 1862; " A Summer Story, Sheridan's Ride, and other Poems, chiefly of the War," 1865; and " Good Samaritans, a Poem," 1867, be- sides some minor contributions to magazines. Com- plete editions of his poetical works in two volumes were issued in 1860 and 1862, in three volumes in 1865 and 1867, and in one volume in 1882.

Joel Cook, one of the editors of the Public Ledger in 1884, published his first book, the "Siege of Rich- mond," a narrative of the military operations of Maj .- Gen. George B. Mcclellan during the year 1862. He wrote and published a delightful account of his travels in Europe, and also of journeys in the neighborhood of Philadelphia. About 1882 a splendid illustrative work upon the " History and Legends connected with Mansions and Seats of Historic Interest in England" was published, and is considered a valuable and inter- esting book, showing much research and knowledge.

Dr. Joseph Leidy, the celebrated naturalist and physiologist, was born in Philadelphia, Sept. 9, 1823, and received his degree at the University of Pennsylvania, In 1853 he was elected to the chair of Anatomy in that institution, which was held for many years. Some of his valuable contributions to the science of comparative anatomy and vertebrate palæontology are in the " Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences," the "Transactions of the Phil- osophical Society," and the "Smithsonian Contribu- tions." He published an "Elementary Treatise on Anatomy," and many scientific papers.

Charles Heber Clark, once an editor and proprie-

Mechan on theap

tor of the Even- ing Bulletin, wrote many humorous sketches, which were embodied in "Out of the llurly- Burly," 1874, and " Elbow Room." at a later period.

John Hill Mar- tin, a member of the bar, published, in 1873, a " His- tory of Bethlehem, Pa .; " a " History of Chester and its Vicinity," 1877; "The Bench and Bar of Philadel- phia," 1883, the latter a very com- prehensive work.

Rev. William H. Furness, a leading Unitarian minister, published, in 1836, " Remarks on the Four Gospels," which he expanded into a large work in 1838, entitled " Jesus and His Biographers." He is also the author of " A Life of Christ ;" "Domestic Worship;" "Julius, and other Tales, from the German," 1856; "Thoughts on the Life and Character of Jesus of Nazareth," 1864; " The Veil Partly Lifted and Jesus Becoming Visi- ble," 1864 ; " Unconscious Truth of the Four Gos- pels," 1868; " Jesus," 1870, etc. He translated Schil- ler's "Song of the Bell," and other German poems, with great beauty and fidelity. A portion of these have been collected in a small volume with the title "Gems of German Verse." He is also the author of several hymns included in the collection in use by his denomination. As a preacher, Dr. Furness has great power, and his sermons, of which a volume appeared

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LIBRARIES AND HISTORICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.

in 1855, are remarkable for the union of speculation and feeling. Dr. Horace Howard Furness, his son, has edited a "New Variorum Edition of Shake- speare," embracing the various readings of the prin- cipal editors. The first volume, " Romeo and Juliet," was published in 1871, and "Macbeth," "Hamlet," and "King Lear" have since appeared. He is also a valuable contributor to various journals. His wife is a lady of fine literary talent. Among her works are a " Concordance to Shakespeare's Poems."

We have thus made an imperfect sketch of a few of the prominent writers that Philadelphia has produced. The list is far longer than we had anticipated when we set upon our task. Proud as this great city may be of that distinguished line who have ornamented its bench and bar, it may boast more heartily still of its writers. In every department of inquiry, theology, morals, politics, political economy, science, art, me- chanics, agriculture, trade, commerce, navigation, law, social life, history, poetry, and the novel, Phila- delphia is not to be surpassed by any city of its age and size anywhere or in any time for the number and value of the works its citizens have composed.

In making this sketch we have noticed the earlier authors more at length than those that are more recent. We considered such a course the better be- cause of the comparative lack of familiarity of most persons with the earlier literature of Philadelphia, except that part of it which has become specially dis- tinguished in history, while that of recent times is generally well known. In our list of over five hun- dred names there are many who are known to the whole world, and many others who, had they lived in countries more fond than ours of the literary pro- ductions of their citizens, would have attained to far greater fame. The task of recording these names in this book has been very pleasing, and we have our own part of the gratification that all Philadelphians must feel in the contemplation of an array of authors so numerons and so honorable. Philadelphia has been a kind and generous nurse to talent of every description, and no city of its age and growth can show a greater number of those who have made be- coming returns to her fostering care.1

CHAPTER XXXVI.

LIBRARIES AND HISTORICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.

As we have before stated in preceding chapters of this work, the first printing-press established in the middle colonies was brought to Philadelphia in 1685,

three years after the arrival of William Penn. Phil- adelphia had also the honor of publishing in 1784 the first daily newspaper issned in the United States. It also led the way in publishing the first works of many literary varieties. Bnt colonial Philadel- phia did not simply excel as a maker of periodicals and books, but as a preserver thereof as well. In this city the first distinctive American library was estab- lished, and as the result of the beginning of this praiseworthy institution and of other kindred literary enterprises, the culture and intellectual growth of liter- ature in Philadelphia soon became marked. Franklin, apropos of the foundation of the literary company, says, "The institution soon manifested its ability, was imitated in other towns and in other provinces. . .. Reading became fashionable, and our people having no amusement to divert their attention from study, became better acquainted with books, and in a few years were observed by strangers to be better instructed and more intelligent than people of the same rank in other countries."

The Rev. Jacob Duché, in 1774, wrote, "There is less distinction among the citizens of Philadelphia than among those of any other city in the world. .. . Literary accomplishments here meet with deserved applause. But such is the taste for books that almost every man is a reader."

But it was not alone in the domain of literature that Philadelphia led the way in its early history. In that kindred sphere, the realm of scientific and philosophical research, its enterprise and culture also led all the colonies. The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, was the forerunner of the numerous American associations now engaged in promoting the several abstract and applied sciences.

The Library Company of Philadelphia .- The Library Company of Philadelphia, established in 1731, owns the oldest library in America. It has Jong been known as the "father of American libra- ries," although Benjamin Franklin early denominated it the " mother of all the North American subscription libraries." Thackeray, in writing to Mr. William B. Reed, spoke of the institution as " that good old li- brary." It had the following interesting origin : In the fall of 1728 the first literary association in the province was formed by Benjamin Franklin, Joseph Breintnall, " a copyer of deeds for scriveners," Thomas Godfrey, mathematician ; Nicholas Scull, afterward surveyor-general of the province; William Parsons, who was a shoemaker by trade, but was afterward surveyor-general of the province; William Maugrige, a joiner; Hugh Meredith, a pressman, and Franklin's first partner ; Stephen Potts, printer and bookbinder ; George Webb, a compositor, but an Oxford scholar; Robert Grace, a gentleman of fortune; and William Coleman, a merchant's clerk, afterward a merchant and one of the provincial judges. This was the famous "Junto" club which originally met at a tavern, but afterward at the house of Robert Grace.

1 In the chaptere on the "Bench and Bar," "Medical Profession," "Art and Artists," "Religious Denominations," " Press," and others in thie work, will be fonod sketches of many prominent anthors and literary men, and mention of their works.

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HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA.

From this Junto originated the Philadelphia Library. Franklin thus tells the story of its origin in his "Chroniele of Events" in his life, under date of 1730:

" About this time (1730) our club meeting, not at a tavern, but in a little room of Mr. Grace's, set opart for that purpose, a proposition was made by me that, since our books were often referred to in our disquisi- tions upon the querles, it might be convenient to us to have them alto- gether where we met, that upon occasion they might be consulted ; and by thus clubbing our books in a common library we should, while we Hked to keep them together, have each of us the advantage of using the books of all the other member-, which would be nearly as beneficial as if each owned the whole. It was liked, and agreed to, and we filled one end of the room with such books as we could best spare. The number was not so great as we expected, and though they had been of great use, yet some inconveniences occurring for want of due care of them, the collection, after about a year, was separated, aod each took his books home again.

"And now I set on foot my first project of a public nature, that of a subscription library. I drew up the proposals, got them put into form by our great scrivener, Bruckden, and by the help of my friends in the Junto, procured fifty subscribers of forty shillings each to begin with, and ten shillings a year, for fifty years, the term our company was to continue. We afterward obtained a charter, the company being 10- creastil to one hundred. This was the mother of all the North American subscription libraries, now so numerous."

The instrument of association was dated July 1, 1731, and the directors and treasurer therein ap- pointed held their first meeting on the 8th of November following, at the house of Nicholas Scull, and made choice of William Coleman as their treas- urer, and of Joseph Breintnall as their secretary, whose first entry is in the following words :1

"The minutes of me, Joseph Breintnall, secretary to the directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, with such of the minutes of the same directors as they order me to make, begun on the 8th day of No- vember, 1731. By virtue of the deed or instrument of the said company, dated the first day of July last. The said instrument being completed by fifty souscriptions, I subscribed my name to the following summons or notice which Benjamin Franklin sent by a messenger, viz :

"' To Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Hopkinson, William Parsons, Philip Syng, Jon., Thomne Godfrey, Anthony Nicholas, Thomas Cadwalader, John Jones, Jna., Robert Grace, and Isaac Penington.

"" GENTLEMEN,-The subscription to the library being completed, you, the directors appointed in the instrument, are desired to meet this even- ing, at five o'clock, at the house of Nicholas Scall, to take bond of the treasurer for the faithful performance of his trust, and to consider of and appoint a proper time for the payment of the money subscribed, and other matters relating to the said library.

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 75

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 992

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992