USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Lives of the eminent dead and biographical notices of prominent living citizens of Montgomery County, Pa. > Part 58
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Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, in a message to the assembly February 24, 1863, specially calls attention "to valu- able services rendered their state troops by Robert R. Corson, of Philadelphia, and William Robinson, of Baltimore. Also, Surgeon General Dale, of that state, under instruction of Gov- ernor Andrew, February 2, 1864, acknowledges Mr. Corson's reported lists of sick and disabled soldiers of that state in hos- pitals, adding his "good wishes for continued success and use- fulness." The same official, under date of July, 1865, in clos- ing official relations, testifies to Mr. C.'s "persistent efficiency and faithfulness" to the end. Surgeon Campbell, of Pennsyl- vania, August 17th, 1865, says:
"The agreeable relations, official and personal, that have ex- isted during your whole term of service, between yourself and the Medical Director's office, made it a pleasure to act in con- cert with you in all efforts for the good of the soldier. * For your judicious co-operation with me on all occasions I tender my sincere thanks. The soldiers of your own and other states in whose behalf you labored, cannot have other than the most grateful recollections of your services.
"My dear Colonel,
"Very respectfully, "JOHN CAMPBELL, " Lieut. Colonel U. S. A., "Chief Surgeon Dist. of Penn'a."
In like manner Surgeon Kenderdine, medical director hav- ing charge of all sick and wounded arriving at our hospitals from battle fields, on learning of Mr. Corson's resignation, writes to him August 23, 1865, in part as follows: "I feel it due to you to express the very high estimation entertained in this office of the conscientious manner in which you have per- formed the duties entrusted to your charge, and the courtesy
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that always characterized your intercourse with medical offi- cers. * * * Personally, I shall miss you much. For more than three years you have been with me, night and day, on the arrival of transports or cars with disabled soldiers, and been indefatigable in assisting to render them comfortable until lodged in the various hospitals.
" Your disinterestedness in relieving suffering early won my regard, and every soldier I have sent you for special aid* (and they have not been few) has returned convinced that all that was possible would be done for him. * With such a record you may be proud and safely retire to private life."
The author may be pardoned here for volunteering the re- mark that when the punctilious demands of a profession so difficult and delicate as the medical are taken into account, and how "doctors," learned and volunteer, "disagree" in treat- ing and having care of the sick, the foregoing testimonial is about as high as our language could write it.
The following horrible description of our murdered soldiers returning from rebel prisons is so graphic and personal to Mr. Corson himself that we ask no apology for placing it in the text of this memorial sketch. As will be perceived, it is an official letter from Mr. Corson to Governor Buckingham, of Connecticut, announcing what he had seen, and the latter gave it to a Connecticut newspaper. The letter speaks for itself :
" PHILADELPHIA, December 7, 1864. " Hon. Wm. A. Buckingham, Governor of Connecticut :
"Dear Sir: I returned from Annapolis last night, having been on a visit to our poor boys, who have just landed from An- dersonville. The men who arrived on the Baltic, on Sunday last, are in a fearful condition, fifty having died on the passage. They all tell the same story: 'From four to eight months, with nothing to protect them from the storm or sun ; not half enough food and many naked.' From March 14, to Novem- ber 24, 12,896 died at the camp, nearly 4,000 of them in the month of August alone !
" Yesterday we had a funeral of forty-one bodies, twenty-five having died in hospital during Sunday and Monday; the balance were brought in the Baltic. They were borne from
*This evidently refers to the benefactions of New England governors referred to in the letters and telegrams to him, of which he was the almoner already re- corded.
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the 'dead house' in ambulances, and as they passed along, with the music of the band, it was indeed a sad sight. Yet we could but feel that they were better off than other thou- sands around us, in whose sunken eyes death had placed his mark. I have seen many sad sights in hospitals and on bat- tle fields, but there is nothing that makes my heart so sick as the story of these poor boys' sufferings, as told from their own lips. They are in good hands at Annapolis, and the commis- sioners provide nearly every thing wanted. Some few articles overlooked I provided when asked for.
"I will continue to send the lists as they are received from my assistant, who is still at Annapolis, visiting the men as they arrive. Those who are well enough to go to camp pa- role are to receive thirty days' furlough and two months' pay.
" Yours very truly, "ROBERT R. CORSON, "State Military Agent."
On retiring from his great labor of love, covering nearly four years, in 1864-5, Colonel Robert R. Corson was greeted with numerous newspaper notices recounting his faithful, self- denying work, which, though entitled to notice here, are omitted.
The war being ended, with its cause-slavery-abolished, the country began to build up with the material at hand. This placed our subject on a new stage of action, and we are here brought to narrate and describe him in relation to one of the grandest outgrowths of the war, to wit, the education and full en- franchisement of nearly five millions of late slaves. Here was a work worthy of those who assuaged the horrors of war, or fed the famished soldier bleeding in death for his country! The same men who hovered over our armies in the field-Union and Confederate-as ministering angels, sprang to the new emergency-the education of the nation's helpless wards. Phil- adelphia, which led the way before, was quickly in the field of effort, with the Pennsylvania Freedman's Relief Association, Francis R. Cope, President, and Robert R. Corson, with his mil- itary title laid aside, among the workers. We have not room further for the personnel of this new organization or to describe the manner of its institution. It is sufficient to state here that many influential citizens raised money, contributed clothing, rented an agency, held weekly meetings, elected Mr. Corson
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corresponding secretary, and went to work in earnest .. It col- lected stores, with books, which were sent south in charge of zealous teachers, many of them refined women, whose presence alone had a good effect upon the people, aside from the daily instruction imparted not only to children, but to thousands of adults beside. At one time this association helped or sup- ported, over one hundred and twenty teachers, located in the states of Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Missis- sippi and North Carolina. Mr. Corson had the personal over- sight, by appointment of the association, of these schools, and was the medium of all of its correspondence, and continuing thus actively employed, for five or six years, justly regarding them as among the most useful of his life. The influence of this great charity upon the south can never be adequately es- timated, nor will the sacrifices made by those true-hearted teachers who dared to do their duty as philanthropists ever be known in this life. Following on the heels of this purely be- nevolent work another sprang up.
Our state did a noble thing when she established soldiers' orphans' schools, gathering the children, whose fathers had fallen in battle or died in her defence, to give them gratuitous instruction at the public charge, but a manifest wrong was done when she omitted to provide equally for the children of her colored soldiers also, who had died in like manner. To make good this neglect Mr. Benjamin P. Hunt, of Philadelphia, a true and upright man, organized a committee, which also raised money, purchased a fine house on the Delaware a few miles from Philadelphia, sought a charter under the law, and when the building was ready went himself, carpet-bag in hand, and at his own expense sought out such children, placed them in school, and Mr. Corson and other members of the education committee continued what the state neglected to do-cducate them until old enough to provide for themselves.
About that time another great wrong was manifest to all, especially under the new status of the colored race, that of refusing those people common rights in passenger cars. Even a considerable stockholder in one of the Philadelphia com- panies was not allowed to ride in vehicles partly his own. A committee was organized to right this abuse, of which Mr.
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Corson was an active member. It went to work to create a healthier public sentiment, petitioned the legislature on the subject and procured an act compelling these corporations to make no distinction on their cars because of color. Mr. Corson looks back with just pride upon his share in that reform. To show still later that he was in advance of the drift of public sentiment, and in favor of giving the colored man the ballot which justly belonged to him, we copy the following extract from the minutes of the Union League of Philadelphia :
"Special meeting, held May 21st, 1868. Mr. Robert R. Corson offered the following resolution :
" Resolved, That while we thoroughly sustain and approve the action of the Chicago convention in pledging the Repub- lican party to maintain impartial suffrage in the Southern states, we believe that principle and policy equally oblige Republi- cans to enact a law to establish equal rights in the North.
"On motion of Mr. Gibbons, the resolution was laid upon the table."
The above political record was made May 21, 1868, the very day General Grant was nominated for President, at Chicago. It is one of the curious and surprising incidents of our do- mestic political history. To reflect now that a body of such staunch Republicans as the members of the Union League of Philadelphia should reject such a resolution, and on the motion of such a prominent and distinguished man as the late Charles Gibbons, and with but one vote in its favor, seems at this day passing strange. Fortunately, for the uses of history, Mr. Corson asked to have the resolution and vote go on record as his motion, which was done, and the above is an official copy from the minutes of the Union League.
As time elapsed and Mr. C. found his work finished in the charity just described, as also that of the Freedman's Aid Association, our subject, true to his instincts and patriotic im- pulses, soon found himself drawn to another movement de- signed to correct political abuses then generally acknowledged
. to exist in state and city governments. To meet this evil a public meeting was held at the Academy of Music, June, 1871, which authorized the chairman to appoint a committee whose duty it should be to select the best candidates from the party tickets, and to make independent nominations for municipal and
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legislative offices, where neither of the regular candidates were worthy of support. This committee, of which Mr. Corson was a member, and the writer thinks secretary also, met in September and formed a ticket, as indicated by the meeting, which at the ensuing election received 3,500 votes. They then determined to form a more complete organization. With this object in view twelve citizens met at the office of Henry C. Lea, October 26, 1871, and formed the Municipal Reform Associa- tion. Our subject is again found as one of the twelve leading names mentioned. The work of this association continued till after the spring election of 1877.
The facts in relation to the above organization we take from the very interesting book, by George Vickers, "The Fall of Bossism and History of the Committee of One Hundred."
Nine years later the Committee of One Hundred was organ- ized by another meeting of citizens, called by E. D. Lockwood and others, to meet at his office November 15, 1880, at which Amos R. Little was elected chairman and authorized to select a committee of not less than one hundred business men, who eleven days later made a permanent organization, of which Mr. Corson was again made one of the secretaries. This or- ganization exerted a wide and salutary influence upon city politics for several years.
It will doubtless be of interest to many readers to detail some of the means employed by the now famous Committee of One Hundred to reform abuses and protect the ballot-box from desecration. Mr. Corson remained secretary during sev- eral years of its active operation up to the time private business recently called him to Virginia, when he resigned that position, but not his membership in the committee, and on his return again took an active part in the work, being placed on the campaign committee. As a sample of their work during the canvass, it may be stated as a premise that there had been much undetected falsifying of election returns known to exist. To absolutely find out how many votes were thus fraudulently suppressed the following plan was adopted: To ascertain how many persons in each division intended to vote the Reformed or Independent ticket, postal cards were printed addressed to
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Mr. Corson as secretary on the one side, while on the other was printed the following :
"I am in favor of the election of John Hunter as Receiver of Taxes. Ward, Name Division, Residence
"N. B .- Friends and supporters of Mr. Hunter will please sign as above, giving address, and send by return mail, so that tickets may be furnished you."
Mr. C. lays no claim to the invention of this plan, Mr. Ellis D. Williams of the committee being the first to suggest postal cards, which proved such an important factor in the election of King and Hunter.
Over two hundred thousand (200,000) of these cards were sent to voters, and nearly one hundred thousand (100,000) re- turned with the ward, division, name and residence filled in. The result was that one of the first divisions returned after the polls closed on election night gave Mr. Hunter only eight votes. These potal cards having been all assorted, by looking over those from this particular division it was found that over sixty voters had expressed their intention of voting for Mr. Hunter. The association thus having their names and addresses, they were called upon, and many expressed a willingness to testify that they did vote for Mr. Hunter. The result was that the officers of that division were arraigned, tried, convicted and sent to prison, soon followed by over a score of others, not including those who fled from the city to evade trial. Thus the committee more or less efficiently reformed election abuses, and others in the Almshouse, Tax Receiver's office, Gas office, &c., until its dissolution in 1885.
In 1867 (it ought to have been stated before) the Pennsyl- vania S. P. C. A. was organized with Morris Waln as president, and Judge Porter, A. J. Drexel, Geo. W. Childs, J. B. Lippin- cott and other humane citizens as managers. A charter was obtained, and amongst its directors Mr. Corson was the third person asked to join, and of which board he has been an active member from its organization to the present time, as also its first treasurer, but the latter position he resigned after the so- ciety got into full operation.
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FRANCIS WHITING, ESQ.
In addition to these benevolent efforts our subject is at pres- ent one of the managers of the "Chinese American Union " for the protection and improvement of Chinese resident in Phila- delphia. He is also manager or director in several other char- itable enterprises.
In 1885, without his knowledge or solicitation, he was ap- pointed by the court one of the inspectors of Moyamensing prison, which position he holds at this writing.
Hitherto we have been chiefly recording Mr. Corson's labors in the form of public charities. We will close with one of a private nature and yet public in one of its aspects. Five years ago, 1881, he joined a syndicate to purchase and utilize the won- derful caverns at Luray, Virginia. After the purchase he organ- ized a company, and procured a charter, the corporators being leading Philadelphians, to bring the property into notice and profitable use. Mr. Corson was elected general manager, and during 1881-82 remained almost constantly there superintending the erection of Luray Inn, and introducing electric lights into the caverns, about seven miles length of wire being operated- the first attempt known to light caves by electricity. After seeing to the erection of the beautiful house in which to en- tertain tourists, he returned to Philadelphia and soon after was elected president of the company, which position he still holds.
FRANCIS WHITING, ESQ.
This retired gentleman, resident at Whitehall, the eastern suburb of Jeffersonville, is better known as Elder Whiting, in- asmuch as for many years last past he has been a most efficient helper in that capacity of the pastor of the Centennial Pres- byterian church at the latter place.
Francis Whiting is the son of John Whiting, Esq., of Great Barrington, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, where he resided, and where our subject was born March 27, 1808. His father was an attorney at law, practicing in that county, having a large business for over fifty years, and much of that time serv-
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FRANCIS WHITING, ESQ.
ing as district prosecuting officer for the state. He was also an officer enlisted for service during the war of 1812. The family was lineally descended from, Governor Bradford, of Massachusetts, in early colonial times, but was early settled in Hartford county, Connecticut; and Elder W. counts himself the seventh from that famous Governor, the name Bradford still being a common patronymic of the family.
Francis Whiting received an academic education at Lenox, and was thence sent to Yale College, where in due time he graduated; after which, returning home, he studied law with his father, was admitted to the profession, and for a considerable time was joined in his extensive law practice; but finding, after several years' continuance, that he was so physically consti- tuted that he could not longer bear confinement to office duties, . and his father owning the farm upon which they lived, Francis took to outdoor labor, and found agricultural matters a better field of work and nearly as much to his taste.
In 1841 Mr. Whiting was married to Miss Harriet W. Curtis, of Canaan county, New York, but they have not been blessed with offspring, though often father and mother to the children of others.
At the death of his father the homestead came to him by inheritance, and he continued farming with fair success until 1866, when, feeling that the rigor of the New England climate was unsuitable to his health and advancing years, he was in- duced to emigrate further south and west, thus coming to Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, purchasing a lot of eight acres of land with a capacious mansion at Whitehall aforesaid, where he and his excellent lady have resided since that time, he occupying his time in horticulture, fruit raising, and small farming. On settling here, Elder Whiting and wife, being previously orthodox Congregationalists, joined the First Pres- byterian Church, Norristown (of the same faith), but soon after transferred their membership to the Jeffersonville church, where he was soon after elected a ruling elder, and where he has been laboring in spiritual things ever since. He thence- forward became a very zealous Sunday school teacher, and largely through his efforts and encouragement, the Sabbath school of Centennial Church has latterly held its sessions
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through the whole year, and without a winter adjournment as formerly. Mrs. W. also has been a most efficient helper in carrying forward the foreign and domestic mission work of the church. True to their New England training, Mr. and Mrs. Whiting have been earnest advocates for a better obser- vance of the christian Sabbath, showing their neighbors and brethren a good example in that respect. They have also been very liberal in contributions to the support of the church, holding the Mosaic teaching, that "a tenth of all increase be- longs to the Lord." When the Centennial Church was founded, Mrs. Whiting paid for the plot of ground for its foundation, and the spacious cemetery attached, out of her own private purse, and Mr. Whiting was one of the most liberal contributors to the erection fund, as he has been ever since to the current expenses of the church.
REV. JOSEPH H. HENDRICKS.
Among the successful preachers and pastors of Montgomery county, the Rev. Joseph H. Hendricks, A. M., of Collegeville, occupies a prominent place. While never having the advan- tage of anything more than a public school education, and no training of the schools in theology, brought up among a plain and unpretending people, he has by his own will and mind, by Divine help, surmounted every obstacle, and stands to-day one of the popular preachers of the county.
His paternal ancestors were among those liberty-loving Ger- mans, whose virtues have so often been related in the familiar history of the settlement of Germantown. They wrote their name Hendricksens, but in a few years we find the name shortened to what it is at present.
Abraham H. Hendricks, our subject's father, was a farmer of Upper Providence, and for many years lived in that town- ship, loved by all who knew him. Plain and unassuming in his ways, he was a man of considerable intelligence, and pos-
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REV. JOSEPH H. HENDRICKS.
sessed a spirit so gentle and kind that his greatest pleasure was to do some act of kindness to his friends. He met with a railroad accident on October 13, 1877, which resulted fatally.
There were born to him six children, three sons and three daughters, all of whom are still living, of whom the subject of this sketch is the fourth.
On the maternal side, his grandfather was the Rev. John Hunsicker, and his great-grandfather, Rev. Henry Hunsicker, both of whom were very widely and favorably known bishops of the Mennonite church.
Joseph H. Hendricks was born in the township of Upper Providence, December 21, 1834. He was reared upon his father's farm, where he attended the public schools of his dis- trict until the spring of 1851, when he entered Freeland Sem- inary (now Ursinus College), a then very flourishing boarding school, under the principalship of the Rev. Henry A. Hun- sicker. Here he remained but a short time, making excellent use of his opportunities, and in the fall of 1852 took charge of a public school at Milford Square, Bucks county. He taught there one season, and one term at Penn Square, this county, and the two following winters at Port Providence, near his father's home. In the interims of these school terms, he at- tended Freeland Seminary.
So rapidly did he improve, that in the spring of 1856 he was offered and accepted the responsible position of teacher of the higher mathematics at Freeland Seminary, and shortly there- after the vice principalship, which positions he retained until 1864, when he resigned to give all his time to the ministry. His successor was Prof. A. H. Fetterolf, the present efficient and honored President of Girard College, Philadelphia.
Trinity Christian Church was built in 1854-55 as a place of public worship. It was founded by Revs. Abraham Hun- sicker, Henry A. Hunsicker and Abraham Grater, of Mont- gomery county, and the Rev. Israel Beidler, of Chester county, all ordained ministers of the gospel of the Men- nonite Church, who had been disowned and expelled from their pulpits because of their more catholic views of the vital and essential doctrines of christianity, and of the privi- lege of fellowship with other evangelical churches, and for
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their active endeavors to secure a more general education of the rising generations, especially of the children of Mennon- ites. The church was not originally started with a view of founding a new sect or denomination, but rather as a place where, on a broad and thoroughly evangelical platform, all who held the common, essential doctrines of protestant chris- tianity, might preach from time to time, unfettered by any effete church traditions or sectarian shibboleth. For several years divine services were regularly held, both in the German and English language, by the above mentioned clergymen, and others.
In the summer of 1857, Frank R. S. Hunsicker, then a teacher in Freeland Seminary, was elected by a vote of the new organization to the office of gospel minister. Mr. Hun- sicker was ordained, and remained teaching and preaching until 1860, when he accepted the principalship of the Excelsior Normal School, in Bucks county. He is now a Doctor of Divinity and pastor of a Presbyterian church at Junction, New Jersey.
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