USA > Pennsylvania > The Biographical encyclopedia of Pennsylvania of the nineteenth century. Pt. 1 > Part 60
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the Legislature. George Fales is thus descended from the oldest American stock, the history of his family being bound up with that of the country; and he may well point with honest pride to the record of his race as that of men whose names are part of the annals of the New World, which Americans at least " will not willingly let die." On the completion of the ordinary school curriculum, he went, in 1802, to Boston, and there entered the office of his brother, Samuel Fales, who at that period carried on the business of a dry goods merchant in that city. Here he stayed some considerable time, learning his business thor- oughly, and acquiring those firmly fixed habits' of steady perseverance and integrity, to which, through a long life, he has persistently adhered, and which have had no small share in the success which has throughout marked his course. In 1814, aiming at an independent position, he struck out a line of action for himself, and went to Phila- delphia, there establishing himself in the dry goods com- mission business, in partnership with a Mr. Cheever, under the style of Cheever & Fales. In IS27, the former died ; and subsequently (in 1830), the firm became Fales, Loth- rop & Co., dealing principally in goods of American manu- facture. The firm has continued, with slight modifications, up to the present time (1874), the style of the house now being Wharton, Atkinson & Co., in which he is special partner. He has just completed his sixtieth year in the same business, and, notwithstanding his advanced age, is still hale and hearty, with every prospect of many years yet before him. He may well be considered one of the repre- sentative men of Philadelphia; a successful merchant, who is an honor to the city of his adoption, and who presents a worthy example of the natural result of persistent integrity and perseverance. Ile became, in 1840, a director of the Commercial National Bank, and, in 1857, of the Franklin Fire Insurance Company of Philadelphia, both of which positions he still holds. He was married, in 1830, to Anne Rush, daughter of the celebrated Colonel Louis Rush, an old Pennsylvanian, who held the command of the regiment known as " The Philadelphia Blues." He still retains a connection with, and interest in, his native city and State, being the owner of property in Rhode Island which has descended to him from his paternal great grandfather, Timothy Fales, who graduated at Harvard, in 1711.
ORDON, ISAAC GRANTHAM, Lawyer and Judge, was born December 22d, ISIg, in the borough of Lewisburg, Union county, Pennsyl- vania. His father, Zaccheus Gordon, was a coppersmith by trade, and was born in North- umberland county, Pennsylvania. The family is originally of Scotch descent, but passed subsequently into Ireland, his grandfather-John Gordon-being what is known as a Scotch-Irishman. He is one of that most hon-
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orable class of men who are called " self-made "-men who | Clearfield county, shortly afterwards entering into partner- by force of hard work and steady persistent effort raise ship with the Hon. G. R. Barrett. In 1846, he settled in Brookville, the county seat of Jefferson county, and, in the following year, was married to Mary C. Jenks, daughter of Dr. John W. Jenks, of Punxatawney, Jefferson county. Here he continued to reside and practise law until his election to the Supreme Bench, in October, 1873. He served in the Legislatures of 1860 and 1861 for the district composed of Clearfield, Jefferson, Elk, and Mckean, and in the latter year became Chairman of the Judiciary Com- mittee General. In 1866, he was appointed by Governor Curtin to the President Judgeship of the Twenty-eighth Judicial District, to serve the unexpired term until the following December. themselves to eminence among their fellows. Having re- ceived-with the exception of a period of three months' tuition in the Lewisburg Academy, which he with difficulty obtained at a subsequent time-but the rudiments of an ordinary English education in the common schools of Lew- isburg, he has succeeded, by dint of the strictest economy of time-studying closely and earnestly at night and in the intervals of work-in giving himself a classical and scien- tific education not excelled by many who have enjoyed the full advantages of a university course. When about six- teen years of age, his father fell sick, and by this event the support of the whole family devolved upon him. He ac- cepted the situation, and got employment in the Lewisburg Iron Foundry; in the first instance, as a common laborer, afterwards learning the trade of a moulder. Thus he con- tinued for about two years, with the intention of eventually establishing himself in business as an iron founder. It was not to be so, however. By one of those events called acci- dents, the whole course of his life was altered. When about eighteen years of age, his left foot was so badly burned by molten iron that he was injured for life. Being thus rendered unable to work, or even to leave the house for many months, through the kindness of his friends in lending him books to alleviate the monotony of his condi- tion, his attention was turned to literature, at first merely as a pastime. But, by degrees, he became more and more in- terested in literary and scientific pursuits, and acquired a habit of study which " grew with his growth, and strength- ened with his strength." The value and importance of mental culture and development being by these means impressed upon him, he determined, by a steady, persever- ing and systematic course of study, to acquire a more per- fect and complete education. This aim, most difficult of realization to one in his circumstances, he accomplished, as already stated, by studying at night, and whenever oppor- tunity offered. As soon as he could manage, with the aid of a stick, to limp to the foundry, he again began work for his father's and family's support. Thus he went on for four years, working hard by day in the dust and roar of the' foundry, and, when evening came, sitting down determin- edly to his books, and allowing no allurements to draw him away from his self-imposed task. So he acquired, during these years, simply by utilizing the odds and ends of time, a liberal and classical education, and prepared the way for passing to a more congenial ocenpation. At length, in 1841, he commenced the study of the law in the office of James F. Linn, attorney at law, of Lewisburg, and in the same year joined the communion of the Presbyterian Church. Ile continued his legal studies for two years, and finally, in April, 1843, received the reward of his toilsome perseverance, by being admitted to practice in the several courts of Union county. In. July of the same year, he left Union county, and opened an office in Curwensville, in
GRIER, ROBERT COOPER, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, March 5th, 1794. He was the eldest son of Rev. Isaac Grier, and grandson of Rev. Robert Cooper, both of whom were Presbyterian ministers. In the autumn of 1794, his father took charge of the academy at Northumberland, Pennsylvania, having a full complement of scholars. At the same time he taught a grammar school, preached to three congregations, and tilled his own farm for the support of his family. He was a superior Latin and Greek scholar, and, as may be imagined, a man of re- markable energy of character. He educated his son in the best manner, commencing with the Latin tongue at six years of age; and when he was but twelve years old, he had mastered both it and the Greek language. Ife contin- ued his studies with his father until I811, when he entered the Junior Class at Dickinson College, and graduated there- from in 1812. There he surpassed all his fellow students in his profound knowledge of the ancient languages, beside excelling in chemistry. He remained at the college, after he had taken his degree, for a year, and taught a grammar school therein. His father's health having failed about this time, he returned to Northumberland and assisted him in his educational establishment. After his father's death, in 1815, he succeeded him as Principal, lectured on chem- istry, astronomy, and mathematics, beside teaching Greek and Latin. His leisure hours he devoted to the study of law. He was admitted to practice in 1817, and opened his office in Bloomsburg, Columbia county; in ISIS, he re- moved to Danville, in the same county. Ilis practice
increased till 1833, when he was appointed by Governor Wolf, Judge of the District Court of Alleghany county. Ile now removed to Pittsburgh. On the 4th of August, 1846, he was nominated by President Polk one of the Jus- tices of the United States Supreme Court, and unanimously confirmed the next day. In 1848, he removed to Phila- delphia, and continued to reside there until his death, which occurred September 25th, 1870. He was eminently
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distinguished for integrity of purpose, fidelity to his client, and benevolence to those of limited means, preferring jus- tice to gain. The esteem of his legal brethren was exhi- bited in the great deference given to his decisions, and their warm personal friendship. At the death of his father, he took charge of his brothers and sisters, ten in number, cared for and educated all, as a faithful guardian, until they were settled in life. He married, in 1829, Isabella, daughter of John Rose, a native of Scotland.
ARP, THOMAS, JR., Merchant, was born in Philadelphia, April 8th, 1819, and was the only son of Thomas and Rebecca Earp. His father was a native of England, and emigrated to this country at a very early age. He received a com- mon school education, and on its completion be- came a clerk in his father's office, who at that time had a hardware store on Market street. Here he continued until 1842, in which year he commenced a produce commission business in partnership with his cousin, John Young ; who shortly afterwards died. He continued, however, by him- self for a number of years, and was most successful, en- larging his trade and developing it to a considerable ex- tent. In 1852 he relinquished this calling, and established himself as a dealer in lard, oils, etc., succeeding to Charles S. Williams, who had begun the trade many years before. This was the first business of that nature established in Philadelphia, and he continued it, having a factory at 246 north Water street, until the year 1868, when he resigned it to his two sons, and retired from active mercantile life. This concern has been greatly extended since it was under- taken by him, and at present (1874) is not only the oldest established but bids fair to become the largest of its kind in the city. He was married, in 1841, to Ellen, eldest daughter of George W. Fobes, and has issue four chil- dren ; one of whom, a son, died in 1869. Though always systematically declining political offices and distinctions, he strongly espoused the Republican cause in politics, and was for many years a member of the Union League of Philadelphia. He died November 21st, 1872, and will be remembered as one of the most prominent and respected citizens of the State.
mast " in the ship " William Savery," owned by Edward Thompson, which ran from Philadelphia to China for tea. In 1821, he had risen to be second mate in the ship " Ben- jamin Rush," and in the following year was chief mate of the ship " Dorothea," also trading to China, owned by Louis Clapier, a well-known ship owner and merchant of those days. He also made some voyages to Gibraltar and Antwerp, as chief mate of the " America ; " and, in 1824, while yet scarcely more than a boy, he reached the summit of his profession, and received the reward of his steadiness and ability by being appointed Commander of the ship " New Jersey," which sailed from Philadelphia to Liver- pool, and thence to Canton. He made four voyages to China in this ship, some of them being unusually quick. While captain of the " New Jersey," he did a noteworthy act by beating right up the China Seas, out of season, against the northeast monsoon, instead of taking, as is customary at that period of the year, the eastern passage ; or what is commonly known among seamen as " East-about." By this means he effected a great shortening of the voyage, and opened up, out of season, a more direct route to China. While quite young he had been deeply impressed with re- ligious truths, and endeavored to bring them to bear also upon those around him. He succeeded so far in influenc- ing the seamen under his command that all profanity was banished from his ship; no oath was ever heard there; a fact which he records with pleasurable satisfaction, and which is a remarkable incident in connection with that class of men. In 1829 he left the sea, and in 1830 commenced a wholesale dry-goods business in Philadelphia, under the style of Capp & Whitall. Within some four or five years his partner retired, and he continued it alone until 1837. IIe was compelled to succumb in the great financial panic of that year, and effected a compromise with his creditors. This heavy trouble he met with firmness and decision. Not considering that his responsibility was removed by the ordinary legal discharge, he mentally determined to pay his creditors in full. This he believed to be a duty enforced upon him by his religious tenets, and not merely a point of honor. The self-imposed task, however, was not accom- plished easily or quickly ; nor without steady persistent effort and self-denial. IIe commenced and continued to practise the strictest economy, always keeping in view this one aim. And, to his honor be it recorded, that within twelve years from the date of his failure he succeeded in discharging all his debts in full, paying both principal and interest. The simple statement of this episode is sufficient testimony to the stern integrity and unflinching uprightness, as well as the firmness, of his character. In 1838, he was admitted a partner in the firm of Scattergood, Haverstick & Co., glass manufacturers; the factory of the firm being at Mill- ville, New Jersey. The style of the house eventually be- came Whitall, Tatum & Co., by which name it is at pre- sent (1874) known. He continued in this business for
HITALL, JOIIN MICKLE, Merchant, was born at Woodbury, New Jersey, November 4th, ISOo. The family is of English extraction. His parents were John S. Whitall, a native of Red Bank, New Jersey, who traded extensively with the West Indies, and Sarah (Mickle) Whitall. He received his education at the common school at Woodbury ; and when about sixteen years of age went " before the Itwenty-seven years; during which time he was successful
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in paying off all the indebtedness of his previous failure, ' as above described, and subsequently achieved a compe- tency. He finally retired from active business life in 1865. In 1861, he was appointed by the District Court a Guardian of the Poor, and was President several years. During this time-about the year 1865-while Chairman of a Com- mittee on Heating and Ventilation, he introduced success- fully into the Alms House a system of ventilation which he himself had long used, and which, while being perfectly simple and easy of application, has been proved by re- peated and severe tests to be most effectual. He argued that all the more injurious ingredients of the impure air of a room, the virus of contagion, etc., being of a dense na- ture, must sink to the floor; and that, therefore, the proper way to ventilate a chamber or room is to supply a vent or flue for the egress of foul air from the floor, and not, as usual, from just under the ceiling; at the same time intro- ducing pure air by a separate flue, or by the ordinary pas- sage of the heater. After considerable discussion, he carried his point, and his system was adopted in the Poor House with the most beneficial results. Wards and chambers in that establishment which were furnished with this apparatus have remained entirely free from contagious diseases, while the same diseases have been rampant in other wards not so ventilated. And-further proof of its success-on its introduction into chambers hitherto ventilated on the old plan, where contagious diseases were, they have gradually decreased and disappeared. The Poor Asylum of Phila- delphia is now ventilated on this system throughout, to the exclusion of every other system of ventilation, and the im- provement in the health of the inmates has most fully jus- tified the anticipations of its inventor. Were it only for his labors in this direction he would deserve well of his city and State. He has also taken great interest in the treatment of the insane. He was for many years a Manager of the Friends' Asylum for the Insane, at Frank- ford; and also for fifteen years a Manager of the Pennsyl- vania Hospital. In politics, he is a Republican, though he has never held any political office.
An earnest student and an excellent classical scholar during his course, although quite young, he assisted Dr. Muhlen- berg by teaching Greek and Latin to the younger students. Having studied medicine, he graduated at Jefferson College, Philadelphia, March, 1852, but never applied himself espe- cially to the practice of his profession; entering the labo- ratory of Professor James C. Booth he studied chemistry, and afterwards entered into partnership with him; during this time he lectured on chemistry at a medical school. Upon the breaking out of the Civil War, having been a member of the City Troop from 1850, and second Lieuten- ant for one year, he was actively engaged in the three months' service, and acted subsequently on the staff of General Patterson, with the rank of Major. In 1862, he was appointed by Governor Curtin Agent in New York to attend to the interests of Pennsylvania soldiers in that city ; not finding much to occupy his attention there, how- ever, he was appointed by Surgeon.General Hammond to travel and provide for the comfort of all soldiers, with full authority to act, and under this order he spent some time at Fortress Monroe and York river. In August, 1862, he was appointed Acting Assistant-Surgeon United States Army, and put in charge of an Officers' Hospital; this hospital was the old family residence in Camac's Woods, Philadelphia, which was tendered by him to the Govern- ment free of rent, and as such was used until the close of the war. Although fortunately relieved from the necessity of professional practice, he has been an active and efficient coadjutor in many scientific, artistic and philanthropic en- terprises and pursuits. He is a member of the Union League, Franklin Institute, Academy of Fine Arts, Horti- cultural Society, and various musical associations, frequently serving on various committees in these bodies; he has been a Manager of the Asylum for the Blind, and is a Director of the Academy of Music, President of the Amphion Mu- sical Association, Member of the venerable Schuylkill Fish- ing Company, and its present Governor, and Founder and President of the Zoological Society, the success of which, now guaranteed, may, without derogation to others, be prin- cipally ascribed to his persistent advocacy and labors for several years ; he was also on the Committee of Consolida- tion of the City in 1855, and the Committee of the Sanitary Fair in 1864. He has also been a member of the Ancient York Masons in good standing for many years ; and was the first person to introduce aquaria in Philadelphia. In the early part -of 1860 he became a financial partner in the illustrated humorous weekly, Vanity Fair, started in New York January Ist, 1860, by W. A. Stephens, of Philadel- phia, sustaining it liberally through the adverse times of the early part of the war. The paper was discontinued July 4th, 1863, and although not a financial success it was a literary one. He has been a frequent contributor to various literary and scientific papers and magazines. De- votedly attached to music, he is an excellent amateur per-
AMAC, WILLIAM, M. D., Physician and Philan- thropist, was born in Philadelphia, November 26th, 1829. His great grandfather, by the pater- nal side, was Thomas Masters, an old resident of Philadelphia, whose daughter, Sarah, married Turner Camac, of Dublin, Ireland. W. Masters Camac, father of William Camac, married Elizabeth Boynton Markoe, daughter of John Markoe, of Phila- delphia, who was the son of Abraham Markoe, the first Captain of the First City Troop of Philadelphia in the Revolutionary War. Their son was educated at College Point, Flushing, Long Island, under the charge of William A. Muhlenberg, D. D., and at Columbia College, New York. Iformer on the pianoforte and several other instruments. The
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possessor of a fine voice, he has repeatedly sung and per- formed at charitable concerts given in aid of the Sani- tary Fair and other benevolent objects, besides lending his services in amateur dramatic performances at the Amateurs' Drawing Room, Philadelphia, for similar ob- jects, with approbation. IIe is also the composer of many songs, and other music published with success. Indeed he is remarkable for his versatility. He is skilful in the use of mechanical tools, and his bouse contains numerous specimens of his handiwork; many of the books in his library were bound by him; he has printed many things upon his private press, taken numerous photographs, drawn a variety of crayon and pencil pictures, besides painting creditably in water colors. He has made numerous voy- ages to the Old World, and has recently returned from an extended tour with his family in Europe, Egypt, Syria, etc. He was married, November 25th, 1851, to Ellen Maria McIlvaine, daughter of Bloomfield McIlvaine, a brother of the late Bishop McIlvaine of Ohio, and son of Hon. Joseph Mcilvaine of Burlington, New Jersey, for several years United States Senator for that State. The former married Henrietta Bancker, daughter of the late Charles W. Bancker of Philadelphia.
ALCOM, HOWARD, D. D., LL. D., Clergyman and Author, was born in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, January 19th, 1799. His maternal grandfather, John Howard, an opulent Philadel- phian, died in 1809, at the advanced age of eighty- four years. He was a descendant of Ilugh Roberts, of Wales, an eminent minister among the Society of Friends, who came to this country about one year after the arrival of William Penn. Deborah Howard, a daughter of John Howard, married John J. Malcom, of Philadelphia, whose father came from Scotland. Howard Malcom was their son and only child. His collegiate education was ob- tained at Dickinson College, which he entered in 1813. On leaving college he was placed in the counting-house of Miller & Van Buren, a prominent shipping firm on Front street, Philadelphia, where he learned those accurate and punctual habits which have so largely contributed to his comfort and success in life. Ile was baptized by Dr. Wil- liam Staughton, of the Sansom Street Church, Philadelphia, in February, 1816. In IS17, he left the counting-house and commenced the study of divinity, and was licensed to preach in May, 1818, by the Sansom Street Church. He prosecuted a full course in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, and at the same time acted gratuitously as pastor of a Baptist church near by. In 1820, he received a call from the Baptist church in the city of Hudson, New York, which he accepted, and was ordained in May of that year. Hle married and became their settled pastor. There he established the first Sabbath-schools of that place, and spent
a month every summer in travelling, in his own conveyance and at his own expense, between Utica and Sackett's Har- bor, for the purpose of founding Sunday-schools. As none had previously existed in all that region, he became the father under whose fostering care sprang up those nurseries of the Church from which have flowed such beneficent re- sults. When, in 1825, the " Philadelphia Sunday and Adult School Union " became the " American Sunday-School Union," it induced him to resign his pastoral charge and labor with them in the great Sunday school work. The duty assigned to him was to travel the country in order to organize auxiliaries and depositories, appoint local agents for the same purpose, and establish Sunday-schools. In this work he visited every principal city in the United States. While thus engaged he was prevailed upon to assume, though reluctantly, the pastorship of the Federal Street, now Clarendon, Baptist Church, of Boston, Massachusetts, then just organized, and became its first pastor in 1827. The climate proved uncongenial and necessitated, in 1831, a tour of seven months over Europe, from which, however, he received but transient benefit. In March, 1835, his voice so failed that he could no longer speak in public. About this time circumstances rendered it necessary to send a delegate to all the Baptist Foreign Missions, to adjust on the spot important matters which were beyond the reach of correspondence, and he was appointed to the mission. This responsible and arduous duty occupied a period of two and a half years, and involved journeys by land and water amounting in the aggregate to seventy-two thousand miles. After having visited many of the missionary stations of other denominations in India, in order that he might first learn the mode of procedure, he then proceeded to all those of his own denomination, in Hindostan, Madras, Burmah, the Tenasse- rim Provinces, Tavoy, Siam and China, and returned home by way of Singapore, Malacca, and the Cape of Good Hope. Still unable to preach in large places of worship, le ac- cepted, in 1839, the Presidency of Georgetown College, Kentucky, then just established. His labors in this position were eminently successful, and he not only succeeded in giving to the college a thorough organization, but also in collecting during the vacation a considerable endowment and a respectable library and cabine. In addition to his duties as President, he filled the chair of Metaphysics, Poli- tical Economy and Moral Philosophy. In 1841, he received, simultaneously from the University of Vermont and Union College of New York, the honorary degree of D. D. In this position his teachings were openly anti-slavery, and in face of the growing vehemence of the slavery feeling pre- cipitated a crisis, which resulted in his resignation, in August, 1849. In August, 1851, he became the first Presi- dent of the University of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and continued to preside over that institution, filling also the chair of Metaphysics and Moral Philosophy, until increasing loss of voice compelled his resignation, in August, 1859. Subsequently he received from the institution the honorary
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