USA > Pennsylvania > The Biographical encyclopedia of Pennsylvania of the nineteenth century. Pt. 1 > Part 20
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the subject of burials outside the city limits. The result of their labors in this direction was " The Laurel Hill Cemetery," purchased by Nathan Dunn, John Jay Smith, Frederick Brown, Isaac Collins, B. W. Richards. He was an early Manager of the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, and in connection with John Vaughan, D. D., founded and was one of the first Managers of the Asylum for the Blind. He was a member of the Philosophical Society; a Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania; one of the originators and founders of the Girard Life and Trust Company, of which he was the first President; he was successful in developing its system and policy, and es- pecially in engrafting upon the life insurance business the novel feature of a power to execute trusts, and to act as fiduciary agents. He continued in the Presidency until his death. Owing in a great measure to his exertions, public confidence was quickly gained. The local bench evidenced its trust in the honesty and stability of the institution by committing to its custody large sums of money within the jurisdiction of the courts. The success of the enterprise has caused many rivals to spring up. He was one of the first Directors of the Girard College, elected by the City Councils; was the first President of the City Gas Works; one of the earliest Managers of the " Cherry Hill Peniten- tiary," and for many years was one of the Controllers of the Public Schools.
ISH, ASA I., LL. D., Lawyer and Legal Editor, was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on February 16th, 1820. Ile is the son of Benjamin Fish, of Trenton, a prominent railroad director, who, for forty-three years, has been a director and principal manager of the Camden & Amboy Railroad. The school years of his life were passed at the Trenton Academy, the Edgehill Seminary, at Princeton, New Jersey, then under the charge of the Rev. Robert B. Patten, and at the Lawrenceville High School, at Law- renceville, New Jersey. Thus prepared, he entered Har- vard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and graduated with high honors in the class of 1842. From the Univer- sity he passed to the Dane Law School, and received his degree of LL. B. from the late Mr. Justice Story, of whom he was a favorite pupil, and under whose immediate super- vision he edited, while still in the Law School, the second edition of Gallison's Circuit Court Reports, his first literary legal labor. In 1845, he came to Philadelphia, having passed some time in the office of the Hon. Henry W. Green, late Chancellor of New Jersey. He also received the degree of L.L. B. from the University of Pennsylvania, and recently Kenyon College, Ohio, conferred upon him the honorary distinction of L.L. D. He has acted as the counsel of the Canden & Amboy Railroad Company. for nearly twenty five years. For nine years he, together with Henry Wharton, conducted the American Law Register, a
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now well known and influential legal journal. He has also edited Selwyn's Nisi Prius, Tidd's Practice, Williams on Executors, and the newest and best edition of Troubat and Haly's Practice, an elaborate, laborious, and learned work of established and well deserved reputation. The profession is also indebted to him for the only complete Digest to the English Exchequer Reports. The literary tastes which he has always cherished are indicated by the fact that he was one of the founders of the Shakespeare Society of Philadelphia, and has been its Dean and presid- ing officer for over twenty-one years. In this department he possesses a very complete and valuable Shakespearian library; it embraces numerous folios and quartos, and all the best scholastic editions. The Shakespeare Society of Philadelphia is one of the literary associations in the United States that holds a recognized position among English and continental scholars; and although its membership is strictly limited to twelve, it has greatly advanced the study of Shakespeare as an English classic. Its Secretary, Horace Howard Furness, has recently published two vol- umes, which are conceded to be the finest contributions to the thorough study and comprehension of the poet made in our times. Mr. Fish is a man of very quiet ways and habits, a constant student, and a deep thinker; but with these characteristics he possesses a genial disposition that invites friendship, and his accomplishments render social relations with him both agreeable and instructive.
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TTING, BENJAMIN, Iron Merchant, was born in the year 1798, in Baltimore, Maryland. 'His father, Reuben Etting, was a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he had married Frances Gratz, whose maternal grandfather was Joseph Simon, a celebrated Indian trader, and among the first settlers in Lancaster. After studying some years at the primary school in Philadelphia, he completed his education at the University of Pennsylvania, on leaving which, at the age of eighteen, he entered the counting room of Simon Gratz & Brother, prominent general mer- chants of those days, the senior partner being his uncle, and remained with them until 1822. In that year the love of adventure prompted him to obtain the position of super- cargo on board the ship "Adriana," on a voyage to Canton, China. The success that attended the venture was an additional stimulant to the adventurous youth, and five more voyages in the same capacity on different vessels were made between the same ports. The supercargo at that day, in the Chinese trade, was obliged to discharge the various duties now entrusted to the agents and consignees of the vessel, such as to dispose of his outward freight to the best advantage, and to load his vessel for the home- ward voyage with the purchases made, generally with the proceeds of his outward cargo. All this required time, a
clear head, and scrupulous honesty, as he was expected to hire the offices and warehouses for the disposal of his out- ward and homeward cargoes. It was during one of these trips that the famous fire occurred at Canton, still remem- bered in the annals of China, and the warehouse, or factory, rented by him, and that of Mr. Wilcox, the American Con- sul, were the only buildings in the quarter assigned to foreigners that escaped destruction. While sharing in a large measure the good fortune of most of the Eastern resi- dents, he entirely escaped the customary attendant ill health, and after ten years' experience of the vicissitudes of the trade, during which he visited several other ports in China and also the Philippine Islands, at length he resolved, in the year 1832, finally to quit the sea, and to settle perma- nently in Philadelphia. Two years were spent in needed rest and relaxation, and then, in the year 1834, he entered into partnership with his brother, Edward J. Etting, who had been heavily engaged in the iron trade since 1828. The. new firm took the name of Edward J. Etting & Brother, and for many years carried on one of the most extensive trades in Philadelphia, at No. 137 North Water street, their store extending through to Delaware avenue. The success that had marked his previous career followed him in his new undertaking, and the clear judgment and cautious enterprise of the brothers enabled them to steer clear of the dangers of trade on which many of their less fortunate neighbors were wrecked. This fortunate partner- ship was dissolved only by the death of the elder brother, Edward J. Etting, in 1862. The place thus made vacant was filled by J. Marx Etting, the second son of Benjamin, and the business since that date has been carried on at 106 :Walnut street, under the name of Etting & Brother. He had married Harriet, daughter of Joseph Marx, a promi- nent citizen of Richmond, Virginia, by whom he has two sons. Frank M. Etting, the elder, filled during the war of the Rebellion the position of United States Paymaster for the District of Pennsylvania. Having studied law in the office of H. G. Tucker Campbell, he now has an extensive practice in that profession, and is also distinguished for the success that has attended his antiquarian researches in con- nection with the early history of his native city. The re- sults of his studies in this direction have been of such im- portance as to receive the thanks of the public authorities.
URPHY, WILLIAM F., Manufacturer and Mer- chant, was born in New York in the year ISoo. He received a liberal education in the schools of New York, and was thereupon placed in a house to learn the business of blank book manufacture. Having acquired a thorough knowledge of this trade in all its branches, he engaged in it upon his own account, and proved very successful. Philadelphia prom- ised, however, a better field than New York, and he
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accordingly removed to that city, where he founded an establishment that in years grew to be the largest and most celebrated in its line in Pennsylvania. His enterprise was conspicuous, and he allowed no opportunity of advancing the interests of the manufactory, by giving judicious pub- licity to the character of its products, to pass unimproved. He was thus an exhibitor at every public exposition of any importance, and so well were the merits of his exhibits ap- preciated that he bore off from all competitors every medal and diploma offered for excellence in his department of manufacture. In this manner his name became widely known, and his goods acquired an immense reputation. Up to the time of his death, he gave close personal atten- tion to the conduct of the business. By his sterling integ- rity as a merchant and a man, he won the respect and esteem from all with whom he came in contact. Since his decease, his sons, who now conduct the business, have faithfully maintained the high reputation he gained. Dur- ing the " World's Exposition," at Paris, in 1867, they exhibited some choice specimens of their manufacture in competition with no less than sixty others, exhibitors in the same department. But one medal was awarded, and of that the Murphy Brothers are now the proprietors. Inher- iting the enterprise and business tact of their father, tire brothers rank among the most honorable and reliable of ; our manufacturers. Their mother was Ann Smith Walker, of Charlestown, Massachusetts.
ILLES, WILLIAM, Merchant, was born near Pughtown, in the great valley of Chester county, Pennsylvania, on December 21st, 1786. His father, David Hilles, a native of Wales, removed to the United States about the time of the Ameri- can Revolution, and settled in that part of the State. , His family were members of the Society of Friends, and he received a fair education at the schools attached to, liam Hilles, whose interest passed into the hands of Samuel the different meetings to which his father belonged. He removed to Frankford in 1812, and in 1814 married Eliza- beth Harper, the daughter of John Harper, of the same place, after which he commenced the farming business on the Castor road. Owing to the ill health of his wife, he removed to Frankford in 1815, and opened a Flour and Feed store on Frankford avenue below Unity street, but in 1817, associated in partnership with William Kinny under the firm name of Kinny & Hilles, he started a tan and wood yard on the site now occupied by the coal and wood yard of N. & S. Hilles. Although anthracite coal had been discovered many years before, and its value as an article of fuel been tested by White & Hazard in their roll- ing mill at the Falls of Schuylkill, it was not introduced into Frankford until 1827, when Kinny & Hilles brought the first load that was ever landed on the banks of Frank- ford creek. Thus they became the pioneer, in the intro-
duction of that useful article, and continued to monopolize . the business for a number of years. He was several times elected Burgess of the old Lorough of Frankford, and was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Poor from his district. He was a Director of the old Bank of Ger- mantown for many years, and one of the originators of the Frankford Insurance Company, of which he was also a Director for some time. He became a manager of the Friends' Asylum for the Insane at Frankford, in 1832, and continued to act in that capacity for twenty-eight years. He was a prominent member of the Orthodox branch of the Society of Friends, in which he was an elder for thirty years, and he was a living exponent of its principles. Ile was ever among the leaders in every important public busi- ness or benevolent enterprise, and his private labors of love cannot be computed. Passing away on March 3d, 1862, he left to his family and friends the rich legacy of an un- sullied name, and in his striking example a strong incentive to a worthy life.
ILLES, NATHAN, Merchant, was born in Frank- ford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of January, 1816. He is a son of William .Hilles. His education was commenced at the Friends' School, at the old brick meeting-house in: Frankford, and at the age of fourteen he en- tered West Town Boarding School, in Chester county, where he completed his course in 1831. He then entered the tan yard of his father as an apprentice to the business, and served in that capacity until he attained his majority. On April Ist, 1838, he became associated in partnership with his father, under the firm name of William Hilles & Son, for the prosecution of the tanning, wood and coal business, but in 1845, the tanning was relinquished, and their sole attention devoted to wood and coal. The firm was dissolved April Ist, 1846, by the withdrawal of Wil- Hilles, and the firm reorganized under the present name of N. & S. Hilles. In the spring of 1844, he was elected a member of the Borough Council for two years, and was re- elected in 1846 for three years. He was elected a Guar- dian of the Poor in the autumn of 1852, re-elected for two years in 1854, and in May of the same year, after the con- solidation of the city, was chosen a member of the Common Council for one year, at the expiration of which time (May, 1855,) he was elected to the Select Council for two years. He was a Presidential elector from the Fifth Con- gressional District on the Lincoln and Hamlin ticket in 1860. He became a School Director in May, 1859, and still continues an active member of the Board; was elected Controller in June, 1862, and re-elected each successive year until 1868. He has also been a manager of the Friends' Asylum since 1859, and for many years a manager of Wright's Institute. He was one of the prime movers in
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the organization of the Second National Bank of Frank- ford, in the latter part of 1863; it was opened for business February Ist, 1864, and he has been its President since the organization. In the same year, he was a delegate from the Fifth Congressional District to the Baltimore Conven- tion, which nominated Lincoln and Johnson. He was one of the pioneers of the Frankford & Southwark Passenger. Railway, is now the only original Director remaining, and consequently is the oldest Director of a city passen- ger railway. By election of the Select Council, he has been a Trustee of the Philadelphia Gas Works since Janu- ary 25th, 1865, of which Board he has been the President since its organization, in 1867. On the Ist of July, 1868, he was elected a Director of the Buck Mountain Coal Company, and was immediately chosen its President, in which capacity he still continues to act. Few men have so repeatedly received evidences of the public confidence in their sterling integrity, and none has proved more worthy than he of the honors conferred upon him. His admirable business qualities eminently fit him for the duties of the high official positions he occupies, as well as for the suc- cessful management of his own private affairs. He is a prominent member of the Orthodox Friends, and has con- tributed much to the interests of all their enterprises, as well as to every other project that has commended itself to his judgment.
AKER, WILLIAM DEAL, Lawyer and Poli- tician, was born in the year 1814, in the old stone homestead, which was coëval with the building of the Penn mansion, in the (then) Dis- trict of Kensington, Philadelphia. He is the son of Joshua Baker, of Georgia, who, being on a visit to Philadelphia, married Mary Deal, a school girl of sixteen, although she was possessed of the highest schol- astie , attainments, and was one of the foremost amateur musicians of the day. Her son takes great pride in attri- buting whatever success he has had in life to the care and teachings of his mother. She was left a widow Ji an early age, with four children, whose education was principally directed by her. William, after receiving a primary edu -. cation at her hands, was placed in the academy of Rev. Dr. Kennedy, where the use of the " birch " was principally and frequently invoked as an incentive to study. This course the new pupil disliked, and he abruptly left the school. Thence he was sent to Kenny's Seminary, where the same discipline was used, and in which, after a struggle with the usher (who came off " second best "), he returned in disgust to his mother's house. He then received private instructions at the hands of two pious divinity students, Charles Boyter and Septimus Tustin, the latter afterwards a celebrated pulpit orator and Chaplain of the United States Senate. From them he passed to the old " Aca- demy," then under John Hamer, to be prepared for college;
but here an unjust punishment for an alleged infraction of the rules, led him to vacate his pupilage. Finally, lie found in Benjamin J. Schipper, an alumnus of a celebrated Jesuit College, an earnest, painstaking and successful teacher, who had a remarkable faculty for imparting infor- mation to all his pupils, and who never failed to recognize their good points. He entered the University of Pennsyl- vania, then under the Provostship of Rev. Dr. Beasly, who, with the other professors in the Department of Arts, were great favorites with all the classes, and respected for the strict impartiality with which they viewed the merits of those who were striving for the lionors. But a change was made, and an entirely new Faculty elected, some of whom brought with them their private students, and it was thought that too much partiality was shown the latter. Be that as it may, young Baker sauntered over the course, and in due time graduated, but was awarded an oration. In the latter part of his Senior year, he published a satirical poem in three cantos, entitled, The Saturmad which made a sensation in literary circles, and was attributed to certain celebrities of the day (as the author remained in- cognito), among thiem Professor Nulty. The author- ship, however, remained hidden until within a few years past .:. When but eighteen years old, he made a temperance speech in the First Presbyterian Church of Kensington, which was deemed worthy of publication, and was used as a text-book on that subject. . Soon after this, he commenced to publish the Temperance Advocate, a weekly journal, be- lieving that he had within his reach both fame and fortune; but he failed to receive the support he had anticipated. About this time he entered upon the study of the law with Hon. John Wurts, a gentleman of the highest legal attain- ments, who not long after removed to New York, to act as President of an important institution. His pupils resolved to continue their studies under Hon. George M. Dallas, who at this time was engaged in his duties as a statesman; consequently his students had to depend pretty much on their own resources. Shortly after his admission to the bar, he was called to occupy the editorial chair of the Com- mercial Herald, a combination of two journals which had respectively been edited by Hon. Nathan Sargent and Hon. Robert T. Conrad. In those times an editor com- bined the present professions of City Editor, Local Reporter, and Court Reporter, the only specialty being the commer- cial details, then under the charge of the late Colonel Cephas G. Childs. He remained in this position for some time, and then became Associate Editor of the Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, the leading literary monthly. When that gentleman abandoned his periodical for the purpose of building a new theatre, his associate, who had now "settled in life " by marrying Harriet E., daughter of Hon. Nicholas G. Williamson, of Delaware, was compelled to return to the law, and obtained a highly respectable practice, which he maintained till the events of 1844 drove him into the poli- tical arena. It was when the " War on the Bible in the
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William D. Kaker.
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public schools " commenced, and, true to his early educa- tion, he at once took a decided part in favor of the- largest American liberty ; in consequence of which he was ex- pelled from the Democratic party. Then he threw all his energies and means into the cause of the American Repub- lican party ; he started a daily paper, termed the American Advocate. Highly incensed at the treatment received at the hands of his fellow Democrats, in advocating what he believed to be truly Democratic, he was impetuous in the new cause; travelled night and day, working wherever he went, making speeches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The new party made its mark; a National Convention was called, to which he was a delegate, but, contrary to his advice and influence, it was termed the " Native " American organization. This sealed its fate. He lost all his fortune on the paper, which he struggled to maintain, and finally a second time returned, as he face- tiously expressed himself, "to attend a legal toll-gate on the public highway." He was nominated for Congress by many friends, but withdrew in favor of another. He was also nominated for Recorder of Deeds, the Prothonotary- ship of the District Court, and for the State Senate, but was defeated, as the Old Line Whigs ran a third candidate. For a number of years he retired from view, but recently, without any agency on his part, he was called to serve as a delegate in the Constitutional Convention now (1873) in session.
OPER, RICHARD F., Shipbuilder and Merchant, was born at Stonington, Connecticut, about the year 1803, and is a descendant of a family, most of the male members of which followed a sea- faring life. He is self-educated, and was thrown at an early age upon his own resources by the death of his father; not only had he to provide for him- self, but for his aged mother. At the age of thirteen he shipped as a sailor, and by the time he was fifteen he com- manded a schooner, plying on the Eastern coast. He con- tinued this life for a number of years, working hard and faithfully, and advancing step by step, until he started a line of sailing vessels between Philadelphia and the Eastern ports. Soon after, he invented the celebrated propeller- wheel, which he applied to several vessels built by him, and these were the commencement of the " Swiftsure " line running between Philadelphia, New York, and Hartford. During the Mexican war he was extensively engaged in boat building, and built all those used by General Scott against Vera Cruz. IIe also rendered good service to the Government in the late war, by transporting soldiers, and when Washington was threatened, he conveyed the Jersey troops by sea and up the Potomac to the capital. In his early years, he had been engaged in the seal fishery business in the South Shetland Islands. His life shows what in- domitable. energy and intelligence can accomplish. He is
gifted with mechanical and inventive genius, and is the owner and inventor of some forty patent rights for appliances adapted to vessels. He has earned for himself a wide reputa- tion as a yacht builder, having built the celebrated yachts " America," " Josephine," " Magic," " Palmer." and " Mad- gie." It will be remembered that it was the " Madgie " that won and retained the Queen's Cup from Commodore Ash- bury, who sailed the " Livonia " and the " Cambria " to this country in 1871 and 1872. He now resides at Stonington, Connecticut, enjoying his favorite amusement of yachting, and superintending his extensive granite quarries. He has the happiness of seeing all his family around him, having only lost his eldest son some ten years ago. Ilis oldest grandson, named after him, resides in Philadelphia, and is the head of the firm of Loper and Doughton, dealers in Naval stores.
EWELL, WILLIAM, Merchant, was born Febru- ary 25th, 1792, at the southeast corner of Market and Water streets, Philadelphia. His father, then a retired grocer, and subsequently a whole- sale dealer, was the owner of two of the blocks of four-story buildings at that locality, occupying the upper rooms as his family residence; with his wife he was a native of Belfast, Ireland, migrating to this country early in life. He was very successful as a merchant, and was highly esteemed by the business community for his integrity and thoroughness. He retired from business many years before his death, and was succeeded by his son William. The latter was educated at Abercrombie's academy on Fourth street, and at the schools of Hamilton and Delamar, on Front street, near Dock. He early de- veloped those qualities of perseverance, energy, and enter- prise, which have made him so successful as a merchant. He continued the business his father had left him at the old location till 1830, when he purchased the adjoining property at No. 3 Water street. He became a very extensive whole- sale dealer, especially in coffee, of which he was a large importer. Brazilian coffee, known as Rio, came into use about the time he commenced business, and its general in- troduction caused it to be carelessly harvested and put up. This circumstance induced him to attempt the invention of a machine for purifying it. In this he was successful; his revolving cylinder, driven by steam power, effected the purpose satisfactorily, and is now in very general use among dealers in coffee. As an example of his indomitatle enter- prise, an anecdote of the early years of his business career is worth repeating. Learning that a cargo of Java coffee was for sale in New York, he determined to be the pur- chaser. On Saturday he met at a funeral another merchant, who informed him that he, too, was going to New York to compete for the purchase of that lot of coffee. The mail stage was to leave Philadelphia for New York on Monday morning. He immediately hired a light sulky and started
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