USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Warwick's Keystone commonwealth; a review of the history of the great state of Pennsylvania, and a brief record of the growth of its chief city, Philadelphia > Part 37
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member of Captain Shippen's Troop of llorse in Lancaster County to take part in the War of 1812. In 1817 he married Susan Strickler, a daughter of Colonel Jacob Strickler and became the father of John James, Henry Howard, Emily Strickler, Eleanor Wright and Martha Mifflin Houston. At an early age Henry Howard Houston left school and for sev- eral years thereafter was connected with mercantile pursuits in his native town. lle was a young man of twenty years when he went to Lucinda Furnace, Cla- rion County, where he spent three years in the employ of James Buchanan, after- wards President of the United States. lle then joined Edmund Evans with whom he went to the abandoned Horse Creek Furnace on the Allegheny River, in Venango County, which they put in successful operation. Mr. Houston, in February, 1847, entered the Philadelphia office of D. Leech & Co., which was then the leading canal and transportation firm in the State. lle remained with this concern until the Pennsylvania Railroad had completed the line to Hollidaysburg and the State Portage road was con- structed over the mountains. These with the State canal from Johnstown to Pitts- burgh formed a through line from the eastern terminus of the road at Philadel- phia to the Ohio River. Mr. Houston's business ability had attracted the atten- tion of Colonel William C. Patterson, at that time president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and he was selected to organ- ize the freight department of the new road. It was the right man in the right place. There was an intense and bitter rivalry and the most vigorous and unre- mitting efforts were required to secure and maintain trade. The Pennsylvania Railroad was completed to Pittsburgh in 1853 and from that time until 1865, Mr. Ilouston's labors were arduous and in- cessant. He was fortunate in possessing sound health and the constant strain did not seriously affect him. For fifteen years he managed these departments with satisfaction to the company and credit to himself. In 1865 Mr. Houston entered into special transportation on local and trans-continental railroads and in this enterprise was connected with several gentlemen with whom he continued the
association until death separated them. Together they organized the first through freight lines, which phenomenally in- creased transportation and aided materi- ally in the development of the country. They were also engaged in lake and ocean transportation on a large scale. In the early days of the oil excitement, Mr. Houston made careful investments and soon became known as a prosperous operator in petroleum. Ile was a mem- ber of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., the Pitts- burgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad Co., the American Steamship Co., the Erie and Western Transportation Co., and a number of smaller corporations. Mr. Houston married Miss Sallie S. Bonnell, of Philadelphia, in 1856 and they had six children, the first, a daughter, dy- ing in infancy. The eldest son, Henry lloward Houston, Jr., was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in the Class of '78. While on a tour of Eu- rope he died in Rome, in June, 1879, at the age of twenty years. It was in his memory that Mr. and Mrs. Houston built Houston Hall at the University of Penn- sylvania, which has been so eminently successful that the plans have been copied by a number of other educational institu- tions throughout the country. The fourth child, Eleanor Anna, died at the age of twelve years, in January, 1875. The surviving children are: Sallie B., widow of Charles Wolcott Henry ; Sam- uel Frederic and Gertrude, wife of Dr. George Woodward. The family home is at Chestnut Hill, one of the city's most beautiful suburbs. Mr. Houston was a member of St. Peter's Protestant Church of Germantown and was Rector's Ward- en from the organization of the parish until his death. He also aided in the erection of St. Martins-in-the-Fields, at St. Martins Station, Chestnut Hill. He was a man of forceful character and was quick in his estimate of men and meas- ures. He was of robust physique and very active mentally and physically. Ile took great interest in developing and improving the historic parts of German- town and Chestnut Hill and was munifi- cent in his benevolence and charities. He was a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania and of Washington and
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Lee University, Lexington, Virginia. The Houston family is identified with the Mifflins of Pennsylvania, whose an- cestors came over with William Penn, and who have become famous in the po- litical and judicial history of the State, Joseph Mifflin having married Martha Houston, an aunt of llenry Howard Houston. Mr. Houston died June 21, 1895, and the best eulogy that could be written of him would be that he was the worthy descendant of an illustrious and honorable ancestry.
CLEMENT A. GRISCOM.
Clement A. Griscom, who was a promi- nent figure in trans-Atlantic shipping and interested in many industrial corpora- tions, was born in Philadelphia, March 15. 1841, and was educated in the public schools and at the Friends' Academy. His ancestors were Friends and Thomas Lloyd, a maternal forebear, was at one time Deputy Governor of the Common- wealth and President of the Pennsylvania Council from 1684 until 1698. His fath- er, Dr. John Griscom, was a prominent physician.
After leaving school, Mr. Griscom ob- tained a clerkship in the office of Peter Wright & Sons, and in 1863, when but twenty-two years of age, he had won admission to the firm and gradually as- sumed entire direction of the business.
The firm was appointed agent of the old American Line and subse- quently, after direct negotiations with King Leopold, of Belgium, Mr. Griscom organized the International Navigation Company which absorbed the American Line. He was elected vice-president of the new company and became its presi- dent January 4, 1888, the fleet then com- prising twenty-six ocean steamships. The luman Line was then purchased and the steamships New York and Paris added to the line. These were the first twin screw steamships used in passenger traf- fic and were unsinkable. They sailed un- der American registry by special Act of Congress. Mr. Griscom awarded the contracts to Cramps for the steamships St. Louis and St. Paul and during the Spanish-American War these and several other of the liners were used by the Gov- ernment and figured in various naval en- gagements. In 1902, the name of the company was changed to the Interna- tional Mercantile Marine Company and the White Star, the Atlantic Transport, the Leyland and Old Dominion Lines were acquired. Mr. Griscom was elected to the presidency of the company but re- signed in 1904 to become chairman of the Board of Directors.
In 1880 Mr. Griscom was a dele- gate to the International Marine Con- gress for revising the "Rules of the Roads at Sea," at which twenty-eight nations were represented. In recog- nition of the perfect discipline main- tained on the ships of the International Navigation Company, Queen Wilhelmina, of Holland, made Mr. Griscom a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau, her at- tention being directed to the line by the rescue of two hundred men, women and children from the disabled Dutch liner Veendam, by the steamship St. Louis, the Veendam sinking immediately after the last rescue boat had left the wreck. The French Government made him a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, and
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the British Institute of Naval Architects made him an honorary member. Mr. Griscom was one of the organizers of the National Transit Company, which was formed to pump oil from the wells to the refinery. Hle was a director of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the Fourth Street National Bank, the United Gas Improvement Company and the United States Steel Corporation. He was one of the managers of the Western Sav- ings Fund Society of Philadelphia, a trus- tee of the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company, and director of the Mercantile Trust Company, of New York City. Ile was a member of the Union League, Philadelphia, Rittenhouse, Merion Crick- et. Rabbit, Philadelphia Country, Corin- thian Yacht and Farmers' Clubs of Phila- delphia, the Union, Metropolitan, City Midday and New York Yacht clubs. of New York City, the Metropolitan Club of Washington, D. C., and the Marlbor- ough and St. James clubs of London, England. Mr. Griscom died November 12th, 1912.
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FRANCIS B. REEVES.
FRANCIS B. REEVES.
For years a prominent figure in the commercial life of Philadelphia and since early manhood interested in every move- ment for civic betterment, Francis B. Reeves has rendered effiicent service both to the city and state. He was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey, October 10, 1830, the son of Johnson and Elizabeth ( Riley ) Reeves, who were of English ancestry, the American branch being founded on Long Island in the early part of the eigh- teenth century, Mr. Reeves's immediate forebears afterward removing to Cum- berland County, New Jersey. He was educated in private schools and after the completion of his education entered the employ of his father, who conducted a general store at Bridgeton, and subse- quently for about two years worked in a jewelry shop in the same town. In March, 1854, Mr. Reeves was called from the bench and counter of the jewelry shop to a clerkship in the Girard Bank of Phila- delphia, in whose affairs he was destined to play an important part a half century later. At this period his thoughts turned to commercial pursuits and he resigned his clerkship in the bank to enter the call- ploy of N. B. Thompson & Co., a whole- sale grocery firm that had been in exist- ence since 1828. He was familiar with this line by reason of his experience in his father's store and within a year he was admitted to partnership. One month later the firm was dissolved by reason of Mr. Thompson's death, and Mr. Reeves, although but twenty-two years of age, was made executor of the estate, which in those days was considered a large one. Mr. Reeves proceeded at once to organize a new firm to carry on the old business, so that since 1850 he has continued a mem- ber of the original firm and its successors, now, --- and since 1865, known as Reeves, Parvin & Co. In 1881, Mr. Reeves was elected a director of the Girard National Bank, which he had entered as an inex- perienced clerk twenty-seven years pre- viously. He was re-elected to this im- portant position for seventeen consecu- tive years and ou January 3, 1896, he was made vice-president of the institution. On July 18, 1899. he was unanimoush
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elected president and has continued in that position since. Mr. Reeves has long been active in the commercial and public affairs of Philadelphia. He is the presi- dent of the Philadelphia Belt Line Rail- road Company, first vice-president of the Philadelphia Bourse, a director of the Philadelphia Mortgage and Trust Com- pany, the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania, one of the managers of the Merchants' Fund and the Mercantile Beneficial Association and of the Ger- mantown Saving Fund Society. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Germantown Trust Company, one of the trusteees of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and treasurer of the Thomas W. Evans Museum and Dental Institute Society, which is now affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. Ile was chairman of the Executive Commit- tee of the "Committee of One Hundred" which was so active in correcting mnni- cipal irregularities from 188t to 1883 and in 1888 he was appointed by the Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas, to membership in the Board of Educa- tion. In 1880 he was appointed by the Mayor a member of the "Citizens' Per- manent Relief Committee" on the occa- sion of the Johnstown flood and by ap- pointment of Governor Beaver, he be- came the chairman of the "Committee on Annuities to Johnstown Flood Orphans" of the State Relief Committee. In 1892, as representative of the City of Phila- delphia and the Permanent Relief Com- mittee, he visited Russia to deliver and distribute a cargo of food supplies sent on the steamship "Conemangh" for the relief of the sufferers by famine in that country. For that service Emperor Al- exander III. presented to Mr. Reeves a costly silver and gold punch set of seven pieces. Mr. Reeves is fond of literature and devotes much of his spare time to this pursuit. Ile is the author of "The Reeves Genealogy" and the "Evolution of Our Christian Hymnology." The latter work has a wide circulation and received favorable comment from news and relig- ions papers throughout the country.
EDWARD A, SCHMIDT.
Edward A. Schmidt, president of the Northwestern National Bank, was born in Philadelphia, July 6, 1863, the son of Christian and Anna Margaret ( Grubler) Schmidt and was educated in the public schools. His first employment was in the brewery established by his father, the firm being C. Schmidt & Sons, when he and his two brothers, Henry C., and Frederick W., were admitted to partner- ship. After the death of the father, the business was incorporated under the name of C. Schmidt & Sons Brewing Company, with Edward A. Schmidt as president. The company later purchased the Robert Smith Brewery, which was established in 1774, and incorporated it under the name of the Robert Smith Ale Brewing Company. The product of this concern has had a National reputation for over one hundred years. Mr. Schmidt is also president of this com- pany, which in 1908, purchased the Peter Schemm & Son brewery. The combined ontput of these plants is over three hun-
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dred thousand barrels annually. Mr. Schmidt is also a director of the Poth Brewing Company, being elected to that position after the death of Frederick A. Poth, who was his father-in-law. In 1905 he was elected president of the Northwestern National Bank, and under his management that institution has been very sccessful. He is also a di- rector of the Commonwealth Trust Company. Mr. Schmidt is well known in clubdom, being a member of the Union League, . the Manufacturers' Club, the Philadelphia Country Club and the Mer- ion Cricket Club.
FREDERICK T. CHANDLER.
Frederick T. Chandler, who is promi- nent in financial, social and political cir- cles, was born in the Friends' settlement of Hamorton, near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1863, but was taken to Philadelphia when a child and educated in the public schools of that city. At the age of fifteen years he obtained a position in the brokerage house of Thom- as [. Lawson & Sons, where he remained until 1883 at which time he became asso- ciated with the firm of L. 11. Taylor & Co. Upon the retirement from business of this firm Mr. Chandler organized the broker- age firm of Chandler Brothers and Com- pany, with offices at Fifth and Chestnut streets, but afterwards removed to their present handsome quarters at No. 1338 Chestnut street. Mr. Chandler has been a member of the Stock Exchange since 1892, was its president from 1905 until 1907. He was re-elected in 1912 and is at the present time its President, and a member of the Governing Commit- tec. He also holds membership in the New York Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade and the New York Cotton Exchange. Ile formerly resided in Delaware County during which time he was active in Re- publican politics, rendering efficient aid to John B. Robinson and the late William L. Mathues during their regimes as political directors in that locality. In 1904 he rep-
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FREDERICK T. CHANDLER.
resented the district as a delegate to the Republican National Convention which nominated Col. Theodore Roosevelt for the Presidency. Upon taking up resi- dence in Philadelphia he continued his po- litical activity and was a member of the Committee of Twenty-one which helped secure the nomination and election -of Samuel P. Rotan to the position of Dis- triet Attorney. He was also a Presiden- tial elector in 1908. Mr. Chandler has been active in the Masonic fraternity for many years, being a member of Corinth- ian Lodge, Corinthian Chapter and Cor- inthian Chasseur Commandery. He is a member of the Union League, Racquet, Philadelphia, Country, Clover, Philadel- phia Gun, Huntingdon Valley Country, Rumson Country, Manufacturers and Merion Cricket clubs ; Rose Tree Hunt. Bachelor's Barge of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania Society, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, National Geographic So- ciety, American Institute of Banking and others, and the Lambs Club of New York City.
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EFFINGHAM B. MORRIS.
In assuming the presidency of the Gir- ard Trust Company in 1887, Effingham B. Morris brought to that office the legal training which is essential in the man- agement of a trust company, and also exhibited an executive and business abil- ity which has made the company success- ful under his direction. Dividends have increased from ten per cent. in 1887 to thirty-six per cent. in 1912. Mr. Mor- ris, who is the fourth president of the Girard Trust Company since its incor- poration in 1836, was born in Philadel- phia, August 23d, 1856, and received his preliminary training at Dr. John W. Faires Classical School, afterwards en- tering the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Department of Arts in 1875 and from the Department of Law in 1878. After admission to the Bar he was associated with P. Pember- ton Morris, LL. D., professor of practice and pleading at law and equity at the University if Pennsylvania, and upon Professor. Morris's retirement he suc- ceeded to his practice. He was general attorney for the Lehigh Valley Railroad from 1881 to 1887 and counsel for the Girard Trust Company. He was chosen President of the Girard Trust Com- pany to succeed John B. Garrett, who resigned to become vice-president of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. During Mr. Morris's term as president, the build- ing at the northeast corner of Broad and Chestnut streets, the first modern high office building in that locality, was erect- ed and occupied, and the rapid growth of finance and business interests there veri- fied his judgment. In 1905 the present location at the northwest corner was purchased and the magnificent structure designed from Mr. Morris's suggestions and devoted entirely to the company's own use, was erected and occupied in 1008. The business has greatly increased in the last few years, especially the testa- mentary and corporate trusts and funds on deposit subject to check. In addi- tion to the presidency of the Girard Trust Company, Mr. Morris is a director of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and its allied lines, of the Philadelphia National Bank, Fourth Street National Bank, Franklin National Bank, Philadelphia Saving Fund Society, Pennsylvania Fire
Insurance Company, Keystone Watch Case Company, Mutual Assurance Com- pany, Pennsylvania-Maryland Coal Com- pany, Spanish-American Iron Company, Cambria Tron Company, Maryland Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chica- go and St. Louis Railway, Mahoning Iron and Steel Company, chairman of the Executive Committees of both the Cam- bria Steel Company and Pennsylvania Steel Company, trustee of the Estate of Anthony J. Drexel, deceased, and other corporations. He is a trustee of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania. Mr. Morris is an Independent Republican in politics and represented the Eighth Ward in Common Councils as the candidate of the "Committee of 100" in 1880 and 1881. He was trustee of City Bonds secured on the City Gas Works from 1882 to 1887, defeating Mr. David 11. Lane for that of- fice ; and was receiver of the Schuylkill Navigation Company, by appointment of the United States Court in 1886, arrang- ing for a settlement of its affairs in the reorganization of the Reading Railroad in 1888. Mr. Morris is a member of the Union League Club, and of the Philadel- phia, Rittenhouse, University, Racquet, Merion Cricket, Bryn Mawr Polo, Rad- nor llunt and other clubs.
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EDWARD B. SMITII.
Edward B. Smith, head of the firm of Edward B. Smith & Company, Philadel- phia and New York, has been in the bank- ing business for twenty-six years. Mr. Smith was born in Philadelphia, Septem- ber 23d, 1861. His father was Dr. Al- bert H. Smith, one of the leading physi- cians of the city, who for many years resided at Broad and Walnut streets.
Edward B. Smith was educated in the William Penn Charter School and the University of Pennsylvania. After a pre- liminary training in a banking house, he became a partner of Thomas R. Tunis, under the firm name of Tunis & Smith, in 1886, Mr. Smith becoming a member of the Philadelpha Stock Exchange. In 1892 the present house of Edward B. Smith & Company was established, the firm then consisting of Edward B. Smith,
EDWARD B. SMITHI. 1
Francis E. Bond and George W. Norris. The two latter have since retired. The firm now consists of three resident Phila- delphia partners, and two resident New York partners.
Mr. Smith has been engaged in many prominent financial undertakings. He was among those who was deeply inter- ested in the rehabilitation of the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf Railroad, which became one of the most successful properties in the Southwest. He later became identi- fied with the Lehigh Valley Railroad, en- tering the Board of Directors some years ago. Ile is a member of the Board of Directors of numerous banking and financial institutions, including the Frank- lin National Bank, Girard Fire & Marine Insurance Company, American Gas Company, Lehigh Valley Transit Com- pany and other corporations. He was named by the Board of Judges a member of the Board of City Trusts in 1906, and has taken a deep interest in its work ever since. Mr. Smith has from time to time participated in movements for civic bet- terment, notably in 1905. He was re- cently appointed by Mayor Blankenburg a member of an Advisory Committee on City Finance, the committee including leading bankers of the city.
Mr. Smith is a member of most of the leading clubs of the city, including the Philadelphia, Rittenhouse. Union League,, Racquet and other clubs, and the Radnor, Rose Tree, and White Marsh Valley Hunt Club. He is presi- dent of the Philadelphia Four-in-Hand Club, having for many years been a lead- er in sustaining the traditional four-in- hand coach.
From 1882 to 1800 he was a member of the First City Troop. Mr. Smith's town house is at 306 S. roth street, and his country home at Gwynedd Valley, although he usually spends the greater part of his summers yachting. In addi-
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tion to various Boards and Clubs with which Mr. Smith is identified, he has al- ways given a large share of attention as a citizen to philanthropic undertakings and devotes a large part of his time to charitable enterprises.
G. COLESBERRY PURVES.
Retiring from the practice of law to take up financial pursuits, G. Colesberry Purves has become a notable figure in the moneyed affairs of the city. He was born in Philadelphia, December 18th, 1843, the son of William and Anna ( Kennedy ) Purves. The father was secretary and treasurer and afterwards vice-president of the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, of which the son is now the executive head. Mr. Purves attended schools in his native city and after careful preparation entered Yale from which he graduated in 1864 with the Bachelor of Arts degree.
The Master of Arts degree was conferred upon him in 1867 and the same year he graduated from the University of Penn- sylvania with the LL. B. degree. Being admitted to the Bar he commenced prac- tice and continued active in his profession until January Ist, 1885, when he accepted the position of assistant secretary and treasurer of the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society. Three years later he was advanced to secretary and treasurer and in 1902 was elected vice-president. In 1903, when the office of President became vacant, he was unanimously elected to the position, which he still holds, and the wis- dom of his selection is shown by the con- tinued prosperity of the Society, which is recognized as one of the most stable finan- cial institutions in the country. In addi- tion to his activity as a lawyer and finan- cier, Mr. Purves is interested in philan- thropy and church work and has also been active in local politics. He is an ardent Democrat in national affairs, but locally he is an aggressive reformer. He was at one time president of the Seventh Ward School Board and since his retirement from that position has continued to be in- terested in the intellectual progress of the city. He has always refused to be a can- didate for another office but is always ready to aid any movement that will im- prove civic conditions. In addition to his connection with the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, Mr. Purves is a director of the Farmers and Mechanics National Bank, the Insurance Company of North America and the Mortgage Trust Com- pany of Pennsylvania. He is president of the Union Benevolent Society and the Philadelphia Lying-in Charity and a trus- tee of the Jefferson Hospital. He is a member of several college fraternities, the Rittenhouse and University clubs and is president of the Board of Trustees of Calvary Presbyterian Church. Mr. Pur- ves was married at Dobbs Ferry, New
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