USA > Pennsylvania > The Biographical encyclopedia of Pennsylvania of the nineteenth century. Pt. 1 > Part 10
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AVIS, EDWARD M., Merchant and Philanthro- pist, was born in one of the old mansions in Arch street, Philadelphia, in 1811, of parents, descend- ants of Welsh Quakers. Ilis father, though brought up in the doctrine of non-resistance, enlisted as a soldier, and fought under General Jackson in the war of 1812, for which he was dismissed from the Society of Friends. Both parents dying while he was but a child, his guardian placed him at the well-known Friends' Boarding School at West-town, where he became a firm adherent to the doctrine of an " Inner Light." By the advice of his friends, he chose the business of an importer of silk goods, in conducting which he visited Europe fre- quently, and traversed nearly all parts of his native country. In May, 1838, he crossed the Atlantic, in the "Sirius," the first steamship which ever made the passage, deemed at that time a perilous experiment. He was not slow to appreciate the benefits of steam transportation, and for two years was a Director of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in its early history. In these business pursuits, however, he met with more than usual opposition from the tenacity with which he followed his convictions, and the hearty support he often gave to unpopular reforms. As early as 1834, he attached himself to the American Anti-Slavery Society, and remained an enthusiastic member until he witnessed the triumph over the evil which it opposed. Often his goods lay untouched on bis shelves until sold at auction, because his customers feared to offend Southern sentiment, by dealing with an " Abolitionist." No consideration deflected him from his determination to release the slave. On his fiftieth birthday he started with General Fremont to St. Louis, less as an aid on his staff than as a personal adviser and friend, with a view to the overthrow of slavery in the country. This the members of the Society of Friends construed as military service, and ruled him out of the meeting, but their action did not shake the fixity of his purpose.
Ec I Handy.
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A similar inflexible honesty marked his business procced- ings. In the crash of 1858, his firm failed, with so many other mereantile houses; and not only did he insist on assuming the whole indebtedness himself, his partners being young men, but when he could have been relieved of this load by legal process, he declined to take such an advantage, and paid off, by degrees, more than a hundred thousand dollars of debt. His progressive views and strong conviction led to his election to the Presidency of the Radical Club, an association which meets weekly to discuss on the broadest basis the live issues of the day, and also to the same office in the Citizens' Suffrage Association, which has for its objeet the securing of the rights of voting to all adults, irrespective of sex or color. He is also President of the Barclay Coal Company, and various other
business corporations. In October, 1836, he married Maria, second daughter of James and the celebrated Lucre- tia Mott, to whose prudent management and kindly. sympa- thy he attributes a large share of his prosperity and happiness. Their three children have reached adult years, and have been to them a source of unalloyed pleasure. The family has often enjoyed personal intercourse and friendly visits from the most eminent philanthropists and reformers of the day, not a few of whom have left tokens 1 of remembrance of the pleasant hours thus passed.
ANDY, EDWARD SMITH, retired Merchant, was born at Snow Hill, Worcester county, Mary- land, January 5th, 1813. He is a son of Isaac Penrose Smith, who married Margaret Martin Handy, and is one of the ten children born to them. Of the five daughters, one died early in life, one became the wife of Charles C. Carroll, a promi- nent lawyer of Maryland, one married George II. Martin, a merchant of Philadelphia, another married Hon. Daniel M. Bates, Chancellor of the State of Delaware, and the only one now (1873) living, married Governor Saulsbury, of Delaware. Of the five sons, two died young, and the remaining three, Edward Smith Handy, Isaac Smith Handy, and Dr. A. Hamilton Smith, reside in Philadelphia. The father of this numerous family was a prosperous merchant at Snow IIill, and was widely known in Philadelphia. He died in 1847, leaving his son Edward his executor and trustee for each of his daughters. All the early educational advantages received by the subject of this sketch were furnished by the Snow Hill Academy, an average country school, usually in the care of a graduate of Princeton. In his sixteenth year his father took him from school to aid him in the store, and at the age of eighteen he gave him an interest in the business. Twice a year he came to Phila- delphia, to purchase goods for their country store, and in June, 1834, though still retaining his interest at Snow Hill, he engaged in the hardware business on Market street, in and expressed, that the spot where he hoped to end his
Philadelphia. In those days when the old Columbia, with its inclined plane and horse-power, was the only railroad coming into Philadelphia, the general order of business was very unlike that of later years. In winter, all goods for the West had to be transported by wagons to Pittsbing, or by " Hand's Line" of sailing packets to New Orleans, and from thence up the Mississippi by steamboats; and he well remembers the array of Conestoga wagons in front of General Robt. Patterson's grocery store loading for Pitts- burg. In the summer, goods were sent by railroad to Columbia, and thence by eanal to Pittsburg. In November, 1834, the greater portion of the town of Snow Hill was destroyed by fire, and his earnings for three years were lost. Soon after settling in Philadelphia, he secured the passage of an act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, authorizing him to add his mother's maiden name to his own, this becoming necessary to avoid the confusion to his corres- pondence, arising from the fact that several other persons in the city were known as Edward Smith ; and his course in this matter has never given him cause for regret, either as to its convenience or propriety. When, in 1837, the great financial crisis swept over the whole country, and many of the best houses went down, and some of the oldest and strongest were badly crippled, his house stood firm. -He had wisely refrained from venturesome transactions during the "preceding year of unusual prosperity, and was, therefore, the better . prepared to weather the storm. In January; 1838; he and his unele, George Handy, purchased the large hardware store of Henry Bird & Co., on Market street, between Third and Fourth. Business slightly im- proved until 1842, when there was another prostration, and merchants began to fail. In this year he purchased his uncle's interest, and continued the business as the firm of Edward S. Handy & Co. For two years the de- pression was so great that all business enterprises scarcely paid expenses ; but in 1844, there was a marked revival, and matters improved greatly thereafter. During these ten years, Mr. Ilandy had spent almost every winter in travel- ling on horseback through the West and Southwest, the only other mode of travel being by stages and wagons, and in this way he has traversed nearly all the Western and Southwestern States. In April, 1846, he sailed for Liver- pool, in the old packet-ship, " Susquehanna " (Cope's Line), to purchase goods for his house, and recruit his health; and after a somewhat extended tour on the Continent, he returned- in the fall, in the " Cambria," by way of Boston, to which port all the Cunard Steamers of that day went. Among his fellow passengers on the homeward voyage, was Washington Irving, who had been residing for some time at Madrid, as American Minister. He was at this time grieving over the contemplated desecration of his dearly loved home, Sunnyside. The route for the Hudson River Railroad had been surveyed through the place, and he well remembers the pain and sorrow this great man felt
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days should be invaded in this way. In 1848, he sold out fairly audited. He is one of the few men, in a population of 750,000 souls, who feel sufficient interest in the affairs of the City Government to use his influence to correct such loose and dangerous modes of conducting the public busi- ness. He was for many years an active manager of the Philadelphia Exchange Company, and during the latter part of his service became its President. He has been, since its organization, a Director of the Frankford & South- wark City Passenger Railway Company, and a member of its Committee on Accounts and Finance. He has been for many years a Director of the Girard National Bank ; and after the death of Mr. Boker, the former President, he took a very active part in securing the services of Mr. D. B. Cummins, the present efficient President of that institution. Ile is a Director of the Philadelphia Trust, Safe Deposit and Insurance Company, and takes an active part in the management of this corporation, acting as Chairman of the Finance Committee. He also shares in the direction and management of other corporations of less importance, and has refused positions in many others, being unwilling to assume responsibilities without being able to devote the necessary time to them. It is worthy of note that so many of Philadelphia's eminent business men have been furnished by his native county in Maryland. The venerable Ambrose White was a contemporary of his father in Snow Hill, before he extended his business relations to Philadelphia. Thomas Robins, President of the Philadelphia National Bank, John Richardson, former President of the Bank of North America, the elder Fassitts, George Handy, George H. Mar- tin, Moses Johnson, and many others, came from his native county in Maryland. the stock of his establishment to Martin & Smith, but still retained an interest in the business as special partner, In 1849, he married Virginia, daughter of Ilon. Henry Hunter Bryan, of Montgomery county, Tennessee, who had repre- sented his district in Congress for several years, while two of his brothers were at the same time representatives of North Carolina districts, of which State he was also a native. It is rare that three brothers serve in our National Legislature at the same time, and this was probably the first instance in the history of our country. Four children were the fruits of this marriage : Virginia Smith, Alice Smith, Edward Smith, and Ilarry Hunter Smith. In 1855, he en- gaged in business with John G. Brenner, as Handy & Bren- ner, at the corner of Commerce and Fifth streets. In 1857, there came another financial crisis, less destructive than that of 1837, but sufficient to carry down a large number of busi- ness firms; 1861 following so soon, many other firms were ruined, but his house weathered the storm. From 1862 to 1873, when he retired from business, the firm was Handy, Brenner & Co. Through this long business career of forty years, which was then terminated, he had been able to maintain the highest credit and the most unimpeachable standing. He has not engaged extensively in politics. For two or three years he represented, in the City Councils, the Twenty-third Ward, in which his country residence, known as " Digby," is situated. He served on the Finance Committee, as the colleague of such men as Wm. Neal, Algernon S. Roberts, George Williams, Thos. Potter, Chas. V. Hagner, W. Hayward Drayton, and Alfred Day. Earnest efforts were made by them to reduce the expenses of the City Government, and, judging from the subsequent increase of expenses and debt, they were very successful in their endeavors. During the term of his service on the MBRIE, DE LORMA, Lawyer, was born in Co- lumbiana county, Ohio, March 4th, IS27. He is the son of John and Mary C. (Rankin) Imbrie, the former a native of Scotland, and of Old Cove- manter descent, while the latter was of Scotch- Irish lineage. While yet young, his parents re- moved to the adjoining State, and settled in Beaver, Penn- sylvania, where he grew up, surrounded by the liberal influences of a Western civilization. At an early age he was admitted into the Darlington Academy, where he sub- sequently completed his education with great credit to himself, as also to his instructors. Having chosen the profession of the law as his future field of labor, he entered the office of Judge Thomas Cunningham, where he pursued the necessary studies; and having passed an examination with honor to himself and his preceptor, was admitted, in 1854, to practice at the bar. He had, at this time, become deeply interested in the political questions of the hour, and was elected, in 1856, by his constituents, their Representa- tive in the Legislature, and again in 1857 and 1858. His ability and integrity were so marked and satisfactory, that Committee, he discovered that the accounts of the Receiver of Taxes had not been audited since the consolidation of the city; that that official did not make his itemized daily returns to the City Treasurer and Controller, an i that the City Commissioners did not place duplicate copies of the tax books in the hands of the City Controller. He imme- diately set to work to remedy these violations of the law, but soon after he had succeeded, his term in Councils expired. The next Finance Committee was made up of almost entirely new men, and the Tax Receiver went back into his old ways. Matters continued to go on in this way until February, 1872, when, as a member of the Committee of Thirty of the Citizens' Municipal Reform Association, and of the sub-committee on Tax and Treasury Depart- nient, they obtained, from Chief Justice Thompson, a man- dams, compelling the Receiver of Taxes to make the daily itemized returns required by law, and also requiring the Board of Revision to place in the hands of the City Controller duplicates of the tax books. The terms of the law are still enforced, and now, for the first time in nine- teen years, the accounts of the Tax Department can be !he was complimented with the nomination of Senator, in
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1860, and was chosen by a largely increased majority. After his senatorial term of three, years had expired, he was absorbed in the active duties of his profession, having a large and lucrative practice ; nor did he again accept office until the winter of 1872, when he was chosen by the Con- stitutional Convention, then assembled in Harrisburg, to become their chief clerk, which position he accepted. It was an office of great responsibility, and requiring much executive ability. . All the minor officers of this organization were selected by him, and during the time it was in session, comprising one month in Harrisburg, and eight months in Philadelphia, the work which devolved upon him was immense. How well he performed it, was recorded on the journal of the Convention at its close, by the unanimous vote which marked the appreciation of his services by the members of that body. Previous to his becoming identified with this Convention, he had been for some years editor and proprietor of the Beaver Argus. Personally, he is tall and dignified in appearance, with a most agreeable and intelligent countenance. He possesses a wonderful talent for detail. He was married, in 1852, to Maggie Carman, of Wilmington, Ohio, and has a family of four children, three daughters and a son.
UETTER, HENRY GOTTLIEB, was born in Saxony, Germany, June 21st, 1797. He emi- grated to the United States in his twentieth year, and settled in business in Bethlehem, in 1816. Here, governed by a fine and disciplined musical ability, he.commenced the manufacture of musical instruments, and giving musical education. His consider- able success induced him to remove to New York, where he remained in the same line of business for several years. At the close of this period he returned to Bethlehem ; re- opened his former connections, and added the coal and lumber trade to his employments. Hfe attained a very remarkable success in the importation and sale of musical instruments. Their reputation gave them a demand from, and caused shipment to, all parts of the country ; so that at the time of his death, their manufacturer was the wealthiest citizen of Bethlehem. While conveying his oldest daughter to the Moravian School at Litiz, in the winter of 1847, his horses ran away, and he sustained internal injuries that proved fatal. He had the rare union of fine musical attain- ments and extraordinary business capacities ; and wisely employed the former to feed the latter. IIe married Frederica Brunner, of Nazareth, who, with four daughters, still survives. . The eldest daughter, Louise, was married to C. M. Knauss, of Bethlehem; Henrietta married Charles Cleve, of the well known firm of James, Kent, Santee & Co., in Philadelphia; Ellen was married to II. W. Rupp, also of Philadelphia, and Caroline to Abraham Schropp, of Bethlehem.
SREBLE, JOHN T., Soldier, First Lieutenant Second Artillery, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel United States Army, was born Jannary 19th, 1834, in Philadelphia. He was the eldest son of Edwin and Susan V. Greble. The ancestors 19 of the Greble family were Germans; the great- grandfather, Andrew Greble, emigrated to this country in 1742, and settled in Philadelphia. The ancestors on the mother's side were from Wales; they were Quakers; they came to America in 1681, and settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania. The male members of both families took an active part in the revolutionary war. At an carly age young Greble showed a fondness for study and military displays; at the age of eight years he entered the Ringgold Grammar School, where he remained four years ; from there he went to the Central High School, where he devoted four years of close application to study. Ile graduated high in his class, and had conferred on him the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in 1854, that of Master of Arts. At the age of sixteen he received the appointment of Cadet to West Point. In June, 1850, he entered the Academy, and graduated in 1854 as Second Lieutenant of Artillery; was ordered to Newport. Barracks, and thence to Florida, where he re- mained until the autumn of 1856, actively engaged in exploring the lakes and swamps and fighting the Seminoles. At the request of the Professors at West Point Academy, he was detailed there by the Secretary of War as Assistant Professor of Ethics and English Studies. Desiring a more active life, he twice applied to be relieved and join his regiment ; this was refused, and he remained at the Academy for the expiration of his term of four years. March 3d, 1859, he was promoted to a First Lieutenancy. August 4th, 1858, was married to Sarah B. French, daughter of the Rev. John W. French, Chaplain of the Post and Professor of Ethics. In October, 1860, he joined his company, then on duty at Fortress Monroe. In the early part of 1861, was ordered to Newport News to construct batteries and instruct the volunteers in artillery practice. On Sunday, June 9th, General Butler ordered an attack to be made on the enemy's forces at Big Bethel. General Pierce had command ; Lieutenant Greble was ordered to accompany it with his artillery. Receiving his instructions, he said to the officer who bore them, "This is an ill advised and badly arranged movement, and no good will come from it." Taking with him two cannon and ten United States artillerymen, he started on this ill-fated expedition. The attack was made and our forces driven back ; a retreat was the result. Lieutenant Greble, seeing the danger of the retreat being cut off, placed his guns in the open road, and by rapid discharges of grape deterred the enemy from pursuing them, thereby saving many lives at the sacrifice of his own. To an officer who advised him to retreat, or at least dodge the balls, he replied, " I never dodge, and when the retreat is sounded I will leave, and not before." The order to retreat was given, and he wasabout withdrawing
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his command, when he was struck a glancing blow on the right temple by an exploded shell; he survived but a few minutes. Thus perished, in the twenty-seventh year of his age, a brave and accomplished officer and Christian gen- tleman ; one who bid fair to stand at the head of his profession. He left a widow and two interesting children -- a son and daughter.
AKER, CHARLES HENRY, Merchant, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 20th, 1793. Ilis father, John R. Baker, was at that date engaged in the importation of German, French and English merchandise, in partnership with his brother, the firm being Godfrey Baker & Co. He himself received an education at the Academy of Dr. James Abercrombie. After graduating with honor, and receiving his diploma, his energetie disposition would not permit him to remain idle, and he immediately turned his attention to commerce, entering the counting-house of Messrs. Eyre & Massey, shipping merchants. Soon estab- lishing himself in the confidence of his employers, he was entrusted with many duties of importance. Between the years 1811 and 1813, he made voyages to Canton and other foreign ports in the interests of that firm. This sea-going and foreign experience was precisely adapted to nurture and bring into a vigorous and comprehensive development all the desirable qualities and attainments of mind of one destined to act a conspicuously useful part among his fellow citizens. About 1814, he entered into a partnership with his father, which continued until the death of his parent, in 1829, after which date Mr. Baker gradually withdrew from commercial pursuits and devoted his time, energy and experience in forwarding the interests of the banking and other public business institutions of his native city. He was for a number of years one of the Managers of the Schuylkill Navigation Company, also a Director in the old Bank of North America, and, at a much later period, a Director in the Commercial National Bank. In 1832, he was elected a Director in the old-established and well- known Philadelphia Marine Insurance Company, for many years located at Second and Walnut streets. In 1836, he was chosen to be its President, which office he filled with honor to himself and advantage to the stockholders until 1845, when the business of the Company was relinquished and the capital stock, largely augmented in value, was returned to the owners; the President receiving the public acknowledgements of the Board of Directors for the able manner in which he had discharged his duties. The character of' Mr. Baker was peculiarly invitatory of confi- dence; the trusts placed in his hands were numerous and of great value. From a very early age, even before his entrance into business for himself, and up to the time of his death, there had been confided to his care and management estates and business affairs, not only for members of his
own family, but for others. His conscientious exactness caused him ever to give perfect satisfaction to those over whose interests he was guardian, while his business experi- ence and judgment enabled him greatly to increase the value of their property whilst in his hands. Mr. Baker died September 21st, 1872.
MITII, FRANCIS GURNEY, Physician, of Phil- adelphia, born March 8th, 1818; the fifth son of Francis G. Smith, a prominent merchant of that city. He received both his academic and medical education at the University of Pennsylvania, taking the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1837, and that of Master of Arts and of Doctor of Medicine in 1840. For about a year after receiving his diploma he was one of the physicians of the Pennsylvania Hospital, giving special attention to the Department for the Insane. In 1842, he was elected Lecturer on Physiology by the Phila- delphia Medical Association ; ten years later Professor of the same branch in the Pennsylvania Medical College; and in 1863, Professor of the Institutes of Medicine in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania. For six years, commencing in 1859, he was one of the attending physicians at the Pennsylvania Hospital. Since the organization of the National Insurance Company he has been its Medical Director, and at one period was Vice- President of the American Medical Association. As a lecturer on the various branches of medical science in which he has given instruction, he is characterized by fluency and exactness, and succeeds in the often difficult art of interesting his hearers in their studies. He is well known in professional literature as one of the compilers of the very popular text-book, the Compendium of Medicine, which has passed through numerous editions ; for nine years as one of the editors of the Philadelphia Medical Exam- iner ; as the author of frequent contributions to medical periodical literature, and as the editor of American editions of Carpenter's and Marshall's works on physiology, and other scientific productions, as well as the first American translation of Barth and Rogers' Manual of Auscultation and Percussion. He married, in 1844, Catherine Madeline, only child of Edmund T. Dutilh, a well-known merchant of Philadelphia.
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