USA > Pennsylvania > The Biographical encyclopedia of Pennsylvania of the nineteenth century. Pt. 2 > Part 45
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TORM, HON. JOIIN B., Lawyer and Congress- man, was born in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, September 19th, 1838. After the completion of his preliminary education at the Delaware Water Gap classical school, he entered the Junior class at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and graduated with honor from that institution in July, 1861. IIe immediately began the study of law in the office of IIon. S. S. Dreher, and having pursued the prescribed course, pissed a highly creditable examination and was admitted to the bar of Monroe county, at Stroudsburg, in 1863. Having always evinced a warm interest in all questions of local and national importance, more particularly those relating to the cause of general education, he was, in 1862, appointed County Superintendent of Public Schools. In discharging the requirements of this responsible position, he gave such general satisfaction, and displayed so much energy and ability, that he was twice honored with re-election. In 1870, he was nominated by the Democratic party of the Eleventh District of Pennsylvania, as their candidate for Congress. Having been elected, he pursued a course so marked by integrity and thorough efficiency that in 1872, he was, by the same constituency, re-elected, gaining his seat in the Forty-third Congress by a majority of over 6000. IIe is a member of the Committee on the Militia, and on Education and Labor, as well as one of the Select Commit- tee on the National Washington Monument. He has taken a prominent part in all questions of importance brought before the House, and the influence he exerts is far in
advance of that generally attained by men of his youthful years. In all measures tending to advance the welfare of his State and section, his part is ever that of a most watchful guardian of the interests committed to his care.
AIRMAN, GEORGE W., Postmaster of the city of Philadelphia, was born October Ist, 1839, in Philadelphia. Ile is the son of George W. Fair- man, who was well known in connection with the United States Bank, and Ellen (Gardiner) Fairman, of Connecticut. The family is of English descent on both sides. Ile received his education in the public schools of his native city, and, on leaving . them, entered the establishment of the prominent firm of Abbott, Johnes & Co., silk merchants, on Market street. Ile then was for some time in the dry goods house of Wood, Bacon & Co., and afterwards followed a sea- faring life, visiting China, the East Indies and California. On his return to America, he became cashier to a firm of stock-brokers in the city of New York, and subsequently occupied the same position with a tobacco house in Brook- lyn. On leaving the Litter firm, he came back to Philadel- phia and entered into a partnership with E. L. Tevis, under the style of E. L. Tevis & Co., stock-brokers, which part- nership ceased in 1865 by limitation, the agreement having been made for one year only. In 1867, he accepted a posi- tion in the Philadelphia Post-office, under General Bingham, on whose retirement he was selected by President Grant for chief of that department, being appointed Postmaster in December, 1872. Ile was married, in 1865, to Florida, daughter of the Hon. Jesse R. Burden, some time Speaker of the State Senate. During the war in 1862-'63, he served in the army, in the Keystone Battery, an independent mili- tary organization, which was honorably discharged at the end of its term of enlistment.
REACY, JOIIN PATRICK, M. D., Physician, was born in Mallon county, Cork, Ireland. Ilis parents were John and Bridget Treacy, both of . Ireland. His early education he received in a private school in his native place. In 1855, he came with his parents to this country, and was placed in the National School, and St. Francis College of Cambria county, Pennsylvania. Upon the completion of his studies, he entered, in 1857, the office of Dr. George McCook, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Under the tuition of this able practitioner, he rapidly acquired a thorough acquaintance with the requirements of the medical profes- sion, and, meanwhile, attended a course of lectures in the same city. Subsequently, he attended lectures at the Medi- cal University of New York, and graduated in March, 1861.
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Upon this occasion he received an honorary diploma, not often conferred upon graduates. In the fall of 1861, he was appointed Surgeen of the Dupont Powder Works, at Wilmington, Delaware, in which position he remained until the fall of 1863. Ile was then appointed Surgeon of the Tilton Hospital, in Wilmington, Delaware. Subse- quently, he abandoned his position as Surgeon and re- sumed his practice as a private physician. Upon leaving Wilmington, in 1869, he moved to Pittsburgh, and since then has resided in that city, attending to the needs of a large and remunerative practice. IIe is connected with the Hibernian newspaper, and is noted for his ability, his energy and his many valuable attainments.
AYNE, COLONEL TIIOMAS McKEE, Law- yer and District Attorney of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, June 14th, 1836. ITis father was IIon. Andrew Bayne, member of the Constitutional Convention of 1837-'38, and who was subse- quently elected Sheriff of Allegheny county in 1838, in the memorable campaign which undermined the power of the Democratic party in Allegheny county. Ilis mother was Mary Anne Matthews, whose family was among the earliest of those which peopled this section of the country. ITis more remote ancestry were of Scotch-Irish extraction. His early education he acquired in the common schools of his native place, where he remained until 1853, when he was placed in Westminster College, in Lawrence county, Western Pennsylvania. But, at the expiration of two years, his failing health rendered it necessary to abandon his studies for a time, and, in 1355, he devoted himself en- tirely to a course of physical education. Upon recovering his health, he pursued a systematic and comprehensive course of scientific reading, acquiring thereby a thorough knowledge of one of the branches of study in which a solid efficiency is not one of the most common attainments. In 1859, he engaged in the study of the law, under the direc- tion of Hon. Thomas M. Marshall, of Pittsburgh, with whom he was reading at the outbreak of the war. An . ardent patriot, he immediately suspended his studies and raised and organized a company of volunteers for three years' service. With this force he moved to Harrisburg in August, but was refused admission to the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, After several fruitless attempts of this nature, he returned home, and the company was disbanded. Again, in July, 1862, he raised another company of volun- teers for nine months' service, and in this attempt met with more success. The company was mustered in at Camp Curtin, August 23d, 1862, as Company II, 136th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and by the officers of that regiment he was elected Colonel, receiving his com- mission, to date from August 23d, 1862. In this capacity
he acted until his regiment was mustered out. During this time he was in command in all its operations, and partici- pated actively in the memorable battles of Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg. Ilis command belonged to the First Army Corps, and when they advanced upon the Southern works his regiment became isolated and surrounded; and, after its ammunition was exhausted, forced its way out with distinguishing and fearless gallantry. It also suffered heavily at Chancellorsville, and, being detailed for picket duty, was among the last to leave the field. This regiment being mustered ont May 29th, 1863, he returned to his home and resumed his former studies; upon the completion of his course, he was admitted to the bar in April, 1866. Ile then engaged in active practice in his native city, and rapidly acquired a large and remunerative clientage, to which he still devotes his time and attention. In October, 1871, he was elected District Attorney for three years, and at the expiration of his term, having performed the arduous duties of that important office to the entire satisfaction of the people, he was nominated by the Republican party of the Twenty-third Congressional District for Congress, in 1874. At an early date he had entered the political arena, and in the campaign of 1856 was noted for his power as a stump speaker. Since that time he has taken an active and leading part in every campaign, evincing repeatedly great energy and shrewdness. Ile was for two years a member of the Republican State Central Committee, and has been delegate to many State conventions. As a speaker, he is logical and effective; and as a debater, terse and acute. Ile was married, May 13th, 1873, to Ella R. Smith, daughter of George W. Smith, of Pittsburgh, for- merly of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.
EAUMONT, IION. ANDREW, Congressman, was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, in 1791. Ilis father, Isaiah Beaumont, was a soldier of the Revolution, fighting with Washington at Trenton and at Princeton. In the latter battle he was severely wounded and was discharged the ser- vice on a pension. Ilis father removed, in 1791, to the neighborhood of Wyalusing creek, in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. Andrew Beaumont, at the age of seventeen, went to Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, determined to obtain an education, and attended school for several terms, paying for his tuition by the product of his labor. He was after- ward engaged in teaching-and at the same time com- pleting his studies -- in his home neighborhood and at the Wilkesbarre Academy ; when, having thoroughly mastered a classical course, he entered the office of Judge Mallery, at Wilkesbarre, for the study of law. At the termination of the usual period of study, he passed the examination re- quired, but was denied admission to the bar by Judge Scott, the Presiding Judge, on the ground that he (Beau-
Vier, Pub. C. Philadelphia.
Prom Bayure
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mont) had not read the necessary time. This was a mere pretext, but it had the effect of driving the candidate from the profession. About this time he was appointed by President Madison, Commissioner for the Collection of Di- rect Taxes for his district, and held that office for several years so efficiently that the Government paid him compli- mentary and unusual compensation for his services. During his study of the law, he occupied a clerical position in one of the county offices, and, having early connected himself with the Democratic party in politics, became Prothonotary, and afterwards Clerk of the Courts of Luzerne county, to which he was appointed by his intimate friend, Governor Snyder. IIe was elected Representative in the State Legislature in 1821, and re-elected the following year. In 1824, he was appointed Postmaster of Wilkesbarre, and held that position until 1831. In 1832, he was elected Representative in Congress from his district, over two com- petitors -- one of whom was also a Democrat-and was re- elected in 1834. During his service in Congress, the celebrated contest of President Jackson against the United States Bank occurred, and he took strong grounds with General Jackson, as opposed to private institutions sup- ported by the Government. ITis course in this contest was sustained by his constituents by his re-election. He op- posed and steadily voted against the bill which distributed the surplus revenue among the States. He enjoyed the close confidence and intimacy of Presidents Jackson, Van Buren, and Polk, Vice-President King, General Lewis Cass, and others of his political party. In 1840, he was tendered by President Van Buren the appointment of Treasurer of the United States Mint at Philadelphia, which, however, he declined, believing that he could be of better service at his home. In 1847, he was tendered the appointment by President Polk of Commissioner of Public Buildings and Grounds for the District of Columbia, at that time an office of great responsibility, and requiring great executive ability in the incumbent. He accepted the office, and continued therein until his nomination was rejected by the United States Senate, through the influence of Senator Benton of Missouri, who opposed him on personal grounds. During 1849, he suffered from protracted illness, and, when par- tially recovered, exposed himself endeavoring to extinguish a fire in his town, thus sowing the seeds of the disease which finally carried him off. During his illness, in IS49, he was elected Representative to the Legislature, and served the term. During this service he urged the neces- sity of direct relations between the State and the General Government, and through his exertions and speeches the first Committee on Federal Relations was created, of which he was Chairman ; he made the first report on that subject ever presented to the Pennsylvania Legislature. A con- temporary, writing of him, says: " With a friend who could appreciate the foree and depth of his remarks, the corrus- cations of wit, fancy, eloquence and pathos, adorned with the wealth which a tenacious memory had extracted from
classical and contemporary literature, would pour from his lips apparently unconscious of hours. In figure of speech, ready, trite and apposite comparisons, we never knew his equal." He was well known for a period of forty years in Pennsylvania as a political writer, and his writings on subjects of political economy would fill volumes. For many years before his death he was the Democratie leader in Northern Pennsylvania. He died at Wilkesbarre, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, September 30th, 1853. One of his sons became a Midshipman in 1838, and is now a Captain, United States Navy; a younger son entered the army in 1861, and is now Captain, 4th United States Cavalry, and Lieutenant-Colonel by brevet ; he also served as an Adju- tant-General during the Rebellion, being brevetted Colonel of Volunteers.
OIIRER, BENJAMIN, M. D., Physician and Surgeon, was born in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, June 18th, IS25. His parents were Abra- ham Rohrer and Elizabeth ( Ely) Rohrer, whose ancestors cmigrated to America from Switzerland in the year 1740. He received a thorough pre- paratory education, and, that being completed, he com- menced, when about seventeen years of age, the study of medicine under the tutorship of the celebrated surgeon, Dr. Washington L. Atlee, with whom he remained until 1846, in which year he graduated at the Pennsylvania Medical College. Immediately after graduation, he entered upon the duties of his profession in Columbia, Pennsyl- vania, and continued there until the breaking out of the Rebellion, in 1861. IIe was at this time in the enjoyment of a remunerative practice, and, in addition, held the office of Notary Public for Columbia, to which he had been ap- pointed by Governor Curtin; but, on Fort Sumter being fired upon, he relinquished his position and offered his services to the Governor of the State. He received, in June, 1861, a commission as Surgeon, and joined the Penn- sylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps, which corps was trans- ferred from the State to the General Government after the battle of Bull Run. He remained in the service for three years, during which time he took part in all the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, being present at every en- gagement. During his military career, his skill and ability as a surgeon, and the success with which he performed many of the most critical and delicate operations, obtained for him a deservedly high reputation. A case in which he performed the rare and dangerous operation of amputation at the hip-joint, after the battle of Gettysburg, deserves especial mention. He was promoted to Chief Surgeon of Brigade, and Chief Surgeon of Division, and also brevetted Lieutenant-Colonel by President Johnson for meritorious service in the battle of the Wilderness. In 1864, after having given three years of zealous service to his country, he resigned his commission and decided to return to
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private practice. IIe selected Germantown as his field | Five Forks, and at Appomattox Court-House, where Gene- of labor, and located himself there, where he still ( 1874) continues to actively perform the duties of his profession and has a large and important list of patients. In his pri- vate practice he has several times performed the operation of ovariotomy, which is so closely connected with the name of his instructor, Dr. Atlee. In this difficult operation he has equalled the success of his eminent friend and precep- tor, seventy-five per cent. of his cases of this kind having been successful. He was married, in 1849, to Margaret F., daughter of Samuel R. Bockius.
ral Lee surrendered. During the whole of this eventful period, he was noted for his coolness and heroism, and afterward, for bravery and efficiency, was brevetted Licu- tenant-Colonel. After the surrender of the famous General Lee, he was assigned to duty in the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, as Surgeon-in-Chief in the Departments of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Subsequently, he acted also as Surgeon-in-Chief in the De- partments of Maryland, West Virginia and Delaware; and later in Kentucky. In November, 1867, he was honorably mustered out of the United States service, after which he returned to Harrisburg and resumed the active practice of his profession, which has become lucrative and very exten- sive. Since his return he has been offered several positions by the General Government; but, preferring to lead a tran- quil and retired life, he has invariably refused each and every position tendered him. Ile was married, November 4th, 1865, to Susan Elizabeth Spangler, daughter of the late General Jacob Spangler, an able and prominent man, who was for many years Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania.
E WITT, WILLIAM RADCLIFFE, A. M., M. D., Physician and Surgeon, was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, December 5th, IS26. He is the son of the Rev. William R. De Witt, D. D., and on the paternal side his extraction is Dutch; on the maternal, Scotch. He acquired a thorough education under the direction of his father and the Rev. B. I. Wallace, both men of rare scholarly attainments. Upon the completion of an exhaustive course of studies, he re- ceived from Princeton College the degree of A. M .; and subsequently, in 1852, graduated in medicine at Phila- RAY, JOSEPII II., Register of Wills for Alle- gheny county, Pennsylvania, was born in Ver- sailles township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, August Ist, 1837. IIe is of Scotch descent, and his parents were among the earliest settlers in his native county. IIe was brought up to agricul- tural pursuits, enjoying such educational advantages as the neighboring schools and those of the city of Pittsburgh could afford, and continued his avocation of farming until August 29th, 1861. At this date he enlisted as First Ser- geant in Company E, of the 105th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. He then accompanied his regiment to Wash- ington, District of Columbia, where it was assigned to the Third Army Corps-then Heintzelman's, and afterward Kearney's. After passing through the winter at Camp Lynn, on the defences of Washington, he embarked for the Peninsula, and took an active part in all the spirited opera- tions of that command, including the engagements at York- town, Williamsburg and Fair Oaks. In the latter engage- ment, at about 4 P. M., on Saturday, May 31st, he was terribly wounded, and fell, pierced by three balls. The Union troops having been repulsed, he, with other wounded officers and soldiers, was left lying upon the field until the Monday following, at noon. Finally, he was taken to the hospital at New Haven, Connecticut, where, for an entire year, he was confined to his bed by the total disability arising from his many wounds. While still convalescent, although permanently disabled, he was honorably dis- charged, October 26th, 1863, and returned to his home. In April, 1864, he accepted an appointment in the War delphin. He was then immediately appointed Assistant Physician of the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Asylum and Hospital. While serving in this capacity he visited, in IS55, the various hospitals of England, France, Germany and Belgium, acquiring in his travels a great store of useful medical, administrative and general information. In 1859, he resigned his position in the State Lunatie Hospital, and was appointed by President Buchanan, Physician and Sur- geon in the United States Hospital at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands. Leaving these islands in the summer of 1862, he returned to this country and at once proffered his services to the General Government. These being promptly ac- cepted, he was placed on duty as Acting Assistant Surgeon at the Georgetown College Hospital. He served in this capacity until the spring of 1863, when he was ordered to Washington, in charge of the Hospital for Sick and Wounded Officers and Soldiers. Subsequently, in the spring of 1864, he was appointed, by President Lincoln, Surgeon-in-Chief of the First Division, Fifth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. While filling this honorable post, he participated bravely in all the operations of that army, and took an active and perilous part in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, North Anna, Tol- lopotang, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and also in the many fights in the trenches before Petersburg; at Weldon Railroad; Six-Mile House, Weldon Railroad ; capture of Fort IIell, Trable Farm, Poplar Spring Church, Yellow Tavern, Weklon Railroad ; Hatche's Run, Fort Sedgwick, Weklon Railroad Expedition ; Dabney's Mill, Hatche's Run, Fort Steadman, Quaker Run, Grabley Run, Boydton, White Oak Road, Department at Washington, District of Columbia, where he
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remained until May, 1863, when he returned to Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. In June of the same year, he was nominated for his present position by the Republican party, and, having been elected by a large majority, in the follow- ing October he was appointed by Governor Curtin to fill the office for the unexpired term of his predecessor-who had died upon the day of the election. Having been re-elected in 1869, and again in 1872, he continues to exercise the functions of his office with acceptability and thorough effi- ciency. Ile has ever taken a warm interest in all matters involving the good of the general community, and was one of the originators of the Weekly Savings' Bank of Pittsburgh. From its organization he has been a trusted and influential Director of this institution, and since April, 1874, has been its President. lle was elected Major of the 14th Regiment National Guard of Pennsylvania, August 13th, 1874.
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ENTIIALL, JOIIN, Chief Naval Constructor U. S. Navy (retired), was born at Washington, District of Columbia, September 16th, 1807. llis parents came from Yorkshire, England, to Washington, where his father was Assistant Architect of the United States Capitol, under Mr. Latrobe, and was killed, in ISOS, by the falling of the arch of the Supreme Court Room. He attended the com- mon schools in Washington until 1823, when he went to Philadelphia and became an apprentice to Mr. Samuel Humphreys, in the navy yard at that place, and remained until he was of age. He next worked for a year or more at the Washington Navy Yard, superintending laying down of ships, and having moulds made for cutting live-oak tim- ler. In 1832, he went to Europe, and visited the navy yards of Russia, Denmark, England and France, re- maining abroad nearly three years, and during that period obtaining drawings and plans of nearly three hundred of the best vessels of the English, French, Dutch and Spanish navies. On his return he was employed by the Board of Commissioners of the Navy in preparing plans of ships, and, in 1835, was sent to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for duty, receiving an appointment as Naval Constructor, May Ist, 1835, and remained at that yard fourteen years. During that period he completed the " Pennsylvania," ship-of-the- line, and built and launched a number of vessels of war. In 1849, he was ordered to the Washington Navy Yard as Chief Naval Constructor, and, in 1853, was made Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair in the Navy Depart- ment; a position which he retained for eighteen years ; when, in 1871, under the operation of the retiring law, he was placed on the list of officers of the navy with the re- lative rank of Commodore. From 1835 until the expira- tion of his term of active service, few, if any, vessels were built for the navy in the construction of which he did not take a large, if not the principal, part of the responsibility.
| The steam frigates " Franklin," " Minnesota," " Wabash," and " Lancaster," were built from his plans. During his apprenticeship he educated himself by hard study, and having largely benefited by the Franklin Institute of l'hiladelphia-of which he has for many years been a mem- ber-he has expressed his intention to donate his entire library of books, ship plans and designs to that institution, together with the various papers and memoranda accumu- lated during his long service. Ile was married, in Phila- delphia, in 1846, to a Miss Esk, who died in 1872, at Washington. IIe has no children living.
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