USA > Pennsylvania > The Biographical encyclopedia of Pennsylvania of the nineteenth century. Pt. 2 > Part 75
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when he was elected to Congress as a member of the Whig party. In 1838, he was re-elected, but resigned in 1840 on account of ill health and distaste for congressional life. During his legislative career he made a marked impression as a man of unusual force and ablility: June 17th, 1844, he was married to Ann Eliza, eldest daughter of John An- derson, of Pittsburgh. For some time before his death, his health was much broken, but he attended to his professional duties with his usual energy and capacity until the last. Ile died July 6th, 1847.
UIDEKOPER, HIARM JAN, an early settler of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and the founder of the family in this country, was born at Hoge- veen, Holland, April 3d, 1776. His parents were devoted strictly to the Mennonite and C vinistic doctrine, and he was raised in the atmos- phere of severe religion. Ilis education was limited in his early days, but afterwards was improved by the kindness of an elder brother who also furnished him means to emi- grate to America, where he arrived in 1796. Ile spent a year in Cazenovia, New York, and for five years was located in Trenton, New Jersey, part of this time occupying a posi- tion in the Ilolland Land Company. In 1802, he removed to Philadelphia, employed as bookkeeper by the company at their office in that city. In January, 1805, he became agent of the company in northwestern Pennsylvania, and arrived at Meadville during a time of great excitement and almost open revolt against the title of the company by the occupants of the land. His fearlessness, honesty, and sound judgment in this time of danger finally conquered the trou- ble and reconciled the malcontents. In 1836, the company disposing of all its lands in this country, he bought the tracts under his eare. September Ist, 1806, he married Rebecca, daughter of Andrew and Esther ( McDowell) Cal- houn, who was born October 15th, 1779, and died October 22d, 1839, the mother of seven children. Upon his mar- riage he established his home in Meadville, where he ever after lived, devoting his leisure to literary pursuits, publish- ing for two years the Essayist, a paper devoted to liberal Christianity. He founded and endowed the Unitarian Theological School at Meadville, in which town he died May 22d, 1854.
IDDLE, HON. RICHARD, Lawyer and Con- gressman, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylva- nia, March 25th, 1796. His family have a name noted in the history of the United States. His education was thorough. At the age of seven- ILLIAMS, PROF. LORENZO D., Postmaster of Meadville, was born at Cazenovia, New York, March 7th, 1813. His father was a Methodist min- ister, Rev. Benojah Williams, and his mother, Je- rusha (Smith). He was educated at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, Lima, New York, and in 1846 received the degree of A. M. from Allegheny College. Ile then engaged in teaching, at first in a private school in New teen, he entered the volunteer service during the War of 1812, and remained therein until IS14. At the close of the war, he studied law with his elder brother, William S. Biddle, and was admitted to the bar in 1817. Ile then removed to Pittsburgh, and commencing practice, in spite of several natural drawbacks, quickly won promi- nence in his profession. In 1828, he visited Europe, and returning to Pittsburgh in 1832, resumed practice till 1836, I York State, and afterwards as principal of Asbury Seminary,
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Ohio. About 1843, he established a seminary at Western Star, Ohio, where he continued until 1846, when he was called to the chair of Natural Science at Allegheny College, Meadville, a position he retained until 1861, when he re- signed to join the army as Chaplain of the 111th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. In 1863, he resigned his Chap- lainship and returned to Meadville. In 1868, he occupied the chair of Professor of Chemistry at the Genesee College, New York, from which post he retired to accept a charge on the Cochranton Circuit of the Erie Conference. IIe was appointed as Postmaster at Meadville, Pennsylvania, in January, 1874, a position he now holds. May 4th, IS37, he was married to Olive T. Warren, of Genesce, New York, and has four children ; one son, Dr. A. M. Williams, graduated at Allegheny College in 1870; a daughter, Mary Adille, graduated in 1874 from the same institution ; his oldest daughter, Louisa, married S. G. Brock, lawyer, of Missouri, and his other son, O. L. Williams, is a farmer in Crawford county.
EVIN, ROBERT P., Author and Journalist, was born near Strausburgh, Franklin county, Penn- sylvania, in 1820. While in his infancy, his parents removed to a farm situated within a mile of Shippensburg, Cumberland county, Pennsyl- vania, where he resided until 1832, when he went to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he received his rudimen- tary education. The following six years were passed in Niles, Michigan, and in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1839, he commenced a collegiate course at Jefferson Col- lege, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, then under the Presidency of Rev. Matthew Brown, D: D., graduating in 1842. Not feeling disposed to embrace a profession, he entered into partnership with his brother, T. HI. Nevin, in the drug and white lead business, in Pittsburgh. While in business, he devoted his leisure hours to writing poems and sketches for the newspapers and magazines, some of the most notable of the latter being Stephen C. Foster and Negro Minstrelsy, published in the Atlantic Monthly of November, 1867; also, Tom the Tinker, in Lippincott's Magasine of October, 1868, which excited much comment. Ilis principal literary production, entitled Black-Robes, or Sketches of Missions and Ministers in the Wilderness and on the Border, was published by the house of Lippincott & Co., in Philadelphia, in 1872, and contains much valuable and interesting matter connected with early American history. In 1870, he re- tired from the drug and white lead business and purchased an interest in the Weekly (Sunday) Leader. Shortly after, the Daily Leader was established, and he became eon- neeted with it as part Proprietor and Editor, and still oceupies that position. He resides in Sewickley Valley, on the Ohio river, some thirteen miles from Pittsburgh, on the line of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad.
He was married, in 1850, to Elizabeth D. Oliphant, daugh- ter of F. U. Oliphant, proprietor of the Fairchance Iron Works, near Umontown, Pennsylvania.
HILLIPS, COLONEL WILLIAM, Manufacturer, was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, about the year 1814. Ilis parents were both of Irish descent. Being early left fatherless, his educa- tion devolved upon his mother, who well per- formed her duty. Early in life he entered the works of Page & Blakewell, in order to learn the glass business. Mastering it fully, he became one of the firm of Whitehead, Ihmsen & Phillips, in the same trade, and finally started new works, with his brother, under the firm- name of R. B. & W. Phillips, which, on his brother's retirement, became Phillips & Best. IIe also ventured in the iron business, and with J. E. Brown and others built a rolling mill at Kittanning, which likewise proved success- ful. Ile retired from active business in 1862, and at that time his rent roll in the Second Ward alone was over, $20,000 per annum. Just after this he accepted the posi- tion of President pro tempore of the Allegheny Railroad, and soon after became actual President; he succeeded in relieving this deeply involved corporation of its heavy debt, extended its lines and made it one of the most suc- cessful roads in the country-all this by his personal exer- tions and influence. In early life he was a Demoerat, but during the war gave his services and money cheerfully in the cause of the Union. For more than twenty consecutive years he represented the Second Ward in the City Councils, and at one time was Chairman of nearly all the leading standing committees. The amount of direct and indirect good he conferred upon his city is incalculable. Ile was at one time a member of the firms of William M. Lyon & Co., Nimick & Co., the Prosphor Bronze Company, and a glass firm. He was an organizer and director of several banks, insurance and deposit companies. Ile died April 14th, IS74.
OMPTON, COLONEL JOIIN B., Lawyer, was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 17th, 1835. Ilis family are of Welsh and English extraction, one of his ancestors having been Bishop of London. His grandfather, David Compton, early settled in Meadville, coming from Monmouth county, New Jersey. Ile had seven brothers in the Revolutionary War. Colonel David and Eliza (Brooks) Compton were the parents of John B. IIe was educated in the publie schools of Meadville, and graduated from Allegheny College an A. B. and A. M. in 1861. Ile had enlisted in the army during his senior year, but obtained a furlough to return and graduate. IIe served
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in the 83d Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers for about ; as the Mill Vale Rolling Mill, on the Allegheny river near two years, and was discharged in October, 1862, on account the mouth of Girty's run, which was one of the earliest constructed mills in the county. He is interested also in the Isabella Furnaces, and is importantly connected with various other manufacturing and industrial interests in this section of the State. He is President of the Ewah Bridge Company and a prominent director in many other local institutions. Ile was chairman of the committee recently clected by the creditors of the Allegheny Valley Railroad, and on that occasion evinced admirable judgment and ability. He was connected with the Superior Rail Mill Com- pany, and was President of it for a time; he took an active part also in the construction of the Pittsburgh Locomotive Works, which has since proved an eminently successful enterprise, and in which he is still an influential director. Ilis residence is near Superior Station, on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad. He is a zealous member of the First Methodist Church, in Fifth avenue, Pittsburgh, and has been connected with it since 1843. of wounds received at Gaines' Mill and Malvern ITill. In 1863, he commanded a company against the " Morgan Raid," and the same year was elected Prothonotary for Crawford County. After the expiration of his official term, he studied law with Phinney & Douglass, and was admitted to the bar in January, 1868. In 1864, at a State election, he was appointed one of the Commissioners to take Soldiers' vote in the Army of the Potomac, was made Secretary of the delegation and saved the records of the election when a conspiracy had been formed to destroy them. In 1871, he associated with D. T. McKay in the practice of the law; was Chairman of the Republican County Con- vention, in 1872, and is at present Attorney for the county and Solicitor for the Buikling and Loan Association of the city; President of the Board of Trustees of the Odd Fel- lows' Home Association of western Pennsylvania, Colonel and Aide-de-Camp to Governor Hartranft and the nominee of the Republican party for the State Legislature. IIe was married, November 12th, 1863, to Fannie E. Kingsley, of Springfield, Massachusetts; three children have been born to them, two of whom are living.
ENNETT, JAMES I., Iron Manufacturer, was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, in 1822, and when he was but two years of age his parents removed to Franklin, Venango county. Ilis ancestors were among the first settlers of western Pennsylvania, and of the ohl Presby-
terian stock. When in his fifteenth year, he was employed as a clerk in the store of Robert Lambertson, in Franklin, and afterward filled a similar position with the late Myron Park. In 1841, through Hon. John Howe, he obtained a situation in the grocery store of Myers & Richey, of Pitts- burgh, remaining there for nearly three years. In 1844, he entered into partnership as a member of the firm of English, Gallagher & Co., in a wholesale and retail grocery business. The great fire of April 10th, '1845, entirely de- stroyed the stock in trade of that establishment, and the firm was subsequently dissolved. In the fall of 1845, with his partner, William B. English, he started for the seaboard to purchase a fresh supply of goods entirely on credit, and thus the firm of English & Bennett, general grocers, was organized. In this business he continued until 1854, when, with other capitalists, he leased the Clinton Rolling Mill, and the firm of Bennett, Marshall & Co. was established. Subsequently, the firm of Graff, Bennett & Co. was formed for the manufacture of merchant bar iron, nails, etc .; the house is still in existence and is one of the most extensive manufactories in the country, while its members were the first to ereet a blast furnace in Pittsburgh. In conjunction with his partners, he afterward purchased the mill known
OBINSON, GENERAL WILLIAM, first Mayor of Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, was the first white chill born (December 17th, 1785) west of the Allegheny river. Ile early became familiar with Indian warfare, and in childhood his home was defended by his mother from an attack of the red-skins, with whom he had frequent contests until they were driven westward; with those who remained, the Cornplanters, he was in friendly intercourse until his death. Ile received a classical education and graduated at Princeton, then studied law with IIon. James Ross and was admitted to the bar, but never engaged in practice. At the death of his father, James Robinson, he became owner of an extensive tract of jand upon which a portion of Allegheny City now stands, and for years was largely interested in commercial and manufacturing pursuits. Ilis title as general he held by virtue of a commission in the State Militia. He was connected with the " Aaron Burr conspiracy," in 1806. Ilis enterprise and personal influ- ence were zealously and beneficially exerted in many of the internal improvements of Pennsylvania, especially in the building of canals, to which he devoted lands, and in the construction of the Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad, upon the success of which he ventured his entire fortune. IIe aided in building the first iron mill in Pittsburgh and the first suspension bridge over western waters. Ile was Presi- > dent of the Exchange Bank of Pittsburgh, member of the Pennsylvania Legislature, first Mayor of Allegheny City, and built a portion of Allegheny City which he named Buena Vista, calling the streets therein after the battles of the Mexican War. He was patriotically active in the late civil conflict, and his grandson, Captain William O'Hara Robinson, gave his life in defence of the Union at
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the fight in the Wilderness. Ile was married, July 3d, IS10, | destroyed by fire in 1873. For six years he was a member to Mary, daughter of Captain Alexander Parker, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, who was an officer of the Revolutionary War and the founder of Parkersburg, Pennsylvania. Ile died February 25th, 1868.
EED, JOSEPHI A., M. D., was born in Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania, December 31st, 1823. Ilis grandparents were early settlers in Pennsyl- vania, and, on the paternal side, he is of Scotch extraction. Ile was educated at Washington College in 1842, and, in 1847, graduated in medi- eine at Jefferson College. In April of that year, he re- moved to Allegheny City, and there practised his profes- sion for ten years. Ile was then elected, by the Board of Managers, Superintendent and Physician of the Insane Department of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, organ- ized by himself at the time of his election. He urged the managers to ereet a separate hospital for the insane at Dix- mont, and induced the Legislature to grant large appropria- tions to erect one of the most extensive buildings for the insane in the State. Since 1857, he has resided in Dix- mont, and has won widespread fame as a skilled physician and a philanthropie and enterprising citizen. He has been appointed on several commissions, by the Legislature of the State, in the interests of the insane, and his views and opinions concerning the subject of insanity in all its various forms are received by the profession with great considera- tion. While residing in Allegheny, he was elected Physi- cian to the School of Reform, when that institution was organized. Of the new hospital at Dixmont, he has still entire charge, and is admirably fitted to care for its five hundred and more suffering inmates. Ile has been twiee married, and from these unions have sprung six children, all of whom are living.
HIRIST, SAMUEL, Lumber Merchant and Finan- cier, was born in the city of Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania, June 23d, 1823. Ilis parents, John and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Christ, were natives of the same place. Ile was educated in the common schools of Lancaster, and there, at the age of twenty-two, engaged in mercantile pursuits. In January, 1849, he sailed for the Pacific coast in one of the first ves- sels that left Philadelphia for California at the outbreak of the gold fever. A year later, he returned to Pennsylvania, and, in the fall of 1851, settled in Lock Haven. There he purchased a large traet of timber land and interested him- self in lumbering, in which trade he has since been actively and extensively engaged. Subsequently, he became the proprietor of a large saw-mill which has at times manufac- tured and sent into the market 5,000,000 feet of lumber per annum; but this valuable establishment was entirely
of the Town Council, and, during a portion of that time, its President. He was one of the prominent organizers of the Gas Works, and is the largest stockholder, also President of that company, whose capital stock is $75,000. Ile has been a Director in the First National Bank of Lock Ilaven sinee its organization in 1864; and, is President of the Great Island Bridge Company, which has a capital stock of $25,000; this bridge connects the Great Island with the main land, and the island contains four farms, in all, abont five hundred acres of finely cultivated land. With two other capitalists, he bought the Old Academy Lot, in Lock llaven, and erected on it a magnificent block of brick buildings, which is 160 by 60 feet, and contains commo- dious and elegant stores and offices. The Lock Ilaven Boot and Shoe Factory is located in this structure, and is an extensive industry with a capital stock of $50,000, em- ploying about fifty hands, and manufacturing goods to the value of $120,000 per annum; in this enterprise he has a very considerable moneyed interest. Ile was married, in January, 1857, to Julia, daughter of Stephen Gould, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
REED, DAVID, Lawyer, District Attorney of the United States for the Western District of Pen- sylvania, was born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, November 12th, 1821. Ilis ancestors for two generations were native Pennsylvanians. Ile was educated at Washington College and graduated from that institution in 1843, and immediately commeneed the study of law with IIon. T. M. T. MeKen- nan, concluding his course under the Hon. William Mc- Kennan, now Circuit Judge of the United States Courts, and gaining admittance to the bar in the fall of 1846, at Washington. He removed to Pittsburgh in the spring of 1847, and has since remained in that eity engaged in a very extensive and lucrative practice. Ile was, for six or seven years, a member of the Select and Common Couneils of the city, and, in 1874, was appointed by President Grant to the position which he now occupies; he resigned his seat in the Select Council upon accepting the appointment.
ACVEAGII, WAYNE, Lawyer, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, April 19th, 1833. lle graduated at Vale College in the class of 1853, and, adopting the profession of the law, was admitted to the bar, April 26th, 1856. Having entered upon the active practice of the profession, he became District Attorney of Chester county, and re- mained so for three years. During the Civil War he served as captain of militia cavalry in 1862, and as major
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on the staff of Major- General Couch during 1863. During | and acquired an extensive and prosperous practice. lle the last named year, he was also Chairman of the Repub- lican Siate Central Committee of Pennsylvania for both the Presidential and Gubernatorial campaigns. Under the first administration of President Grant he was appointed United States Minister to Constantinople. In IS72, he was elected as a Republican delegate representing the Twelfth Senatorial District, composed of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon, to the Constitutional Convention.
ARTON, JOIIN, Lawyer, was born in Pittsburgh, February 221, 1822, his parents having come from Ireland in 1816. Ilis education was confined to the common schools of his native city. After leaving school he studied law for one year; then followed river engineering for three years and became an adept in river navigation. Going back to his law studies, he was admitted to the bar of Pittsburgh in May, IS45, since which time he has never been without a large clientage. Much of his success is due to his exten- sive acquaintance with what are known in western Penn- sylvania as the " river men," the confidence and esteem of which class he possesses in the highest degree. Being one of the ablest lawyers in Pittsburgh, he has, during his prac- tice, been retained in many important cases. In the sum- mer of 1874, he was engaged as leading counsel in the great oil-pipe line suit agitating the railroad and petroleum interests of the State. Ilis son, Edward F. Barton, was the projector of the great scheme for carrying the product of the oil wells through pipes to the Philadelphia market, and, as it came into conflict with the carrying trade of the Pennsylvania Railroad, litigation as to right of way was the result. IIe himself has been a Republican ever since the party existed, but is no politician.
has never held any public position, and is strongly disin- clined to allow himself to be involved in pohtical strife. During the Horace Greeley campaign, however, he was Chairman of the Committee on Speakers, in Allegheny county, and has uniformly sustained the Democratic party, its principles and its measures, being regarded by that or- ganization as an able and efficient ally. September Ist, 1874, he was nominated by acclamation by the Democratie party for Congress from the Twenty-third District of Penn- sylvania.
RANT, BENJAMIN, Lawyer, was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, April 24th, 1822. ]lis father was a farmer. After receiving an educa- tion at the Waterford Academy, he studied law with Galbraith & Graham, of Erie, and in Octo- ber, 1845, was admitted to the bar. He entered into law partnership with Judge Thompson, late Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and they gained a large practice, especially winning reputation in important land and railroad suits. In 1858, he was Demo- cratic candidate for the Senate, and changed the Republican majority of 2500 in Erie county to a majority for himself of 2400, but was defeated by the rest of the district. At the commencement of the Civil War he entered the service a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Ist Regiment of Volunteers from northwestern Pennsylvania. Hle is an author of repute; his three volumes of Pennsylvania legal reports known as Grant's Cases are considered a necessity by the profession. Ile is still in practice, his son Frank W. being associated professionally with him. Ile was twice married, his first wife being Sarah Faulkner, of Erie, his second, Maria E. Wilder, of Putney, Vermont.
OCHIRAN, ALEXANDER G., Lawyer, was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, March 20th, I845. Ilis father, John T. Cochran, was for many years one of the leading men of the Pitts- burgh bar, and subsequently removed to New York City, where he continued to practise his profession with much success until his demise. Alexan- der's education was acquired in his native city and at Phillip's Academy, in Andover, Massachusetts, presided over by Dr. Taylor. Leaving school in 1861, he removed to New York in the following year, and, entering the office of his father, became engaged in the study of law until IS64. At that date he entered Columbia Law School, was afterward admitted to the bar, and entitled to practise in all the courts of New York State. April ISth, 1866, he returned to Pittsburgh, where he has since chiefly resided [ thirty year, he followed the business of an auctioneer of
AIIM, MATTHIAS, was born in Lancaster, Angust 17th, 1789. He was of Swiss-German descent and a life-long active and consistent member of the Moravian Church; his grand- father, the Right Rev. Michael Zahm, having been a dis- tinguished Bishop of that denomination. His father, also named Matthias, was a well-known citizen of Lancaster in the olden time. Having received as good an education as the schools of the time afforded, he learned the trade of af gunsmith and followed it for a number of years. On August 17th, 1832, he was appointed Court Crier; for ten years prior to this date he had served as tipstaff. For thirty-six years continuously, he was in the employ of the Lancaster School Board as Janitor, the longest continuous term of service, it is believed, in the common-school cause since the inauguration of the system in the State. For
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